Kenya's refugee camps (Kakuma, Kalobeyei, Dadaab) and the Shirika Plan
Department of Refugee Services · sources read 4 Oct 2026
Kenya has two gazetted refugee camps, Kakuma in Turkana County and Dadaab in Garissa County, plus the Kalobeyei settlement near Kakuma. On 31 August 2026 Kenya hosted 871,568 refugees and asylum seekers, and the Shirika Plan (2025 to 2036) is moving them from aid towards inclusion in government services.
- Fee
- We couldn't confirm a fee from the official page. Check it there before you pay.
- Where
- Department of Refugee Services, The Corporate Place, Kiambere Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi (info@refugee.go.ke). Statistics are on refugee.go.ke (Operation Statistics).
What you need
- To visit a camp: an official letter with your reasons, plus a copy of your passport or ID (and Media Council, KFCB or NACOSTI documents where they apply)
Steps
- Kakuma camp is in Turkana West, Turkana County, about 754.5 km from Nairobi by road.
- Kalobeyei settlement is 20 km from Kakuma town and has three villages.
- Dadaab is in Garissa County, 90 km from the Somalia border. Its three camps are Dagahaley, Ifo and Hagadera.
- For the latest numbers, open the newest Kenya Statistics Package on the DRS Operation Statistics page. On 31 August 2026 Kenya hosted 871,568 refugees and asylum seekers.
- To visit a camp, write an official letter to the Commissioner for Refugee Affairs saying why you want to visit, and attach your documents.
Watch out
- Dadaab is the biggest: 429,352 people on 31 August 2026, against 323,662 under Kakuma (including Kalobeyei and Eldoret) and 118,554 in Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru. Numbers change every month.
- The Shirika Plan was launched in March 2025 and runs for 11 years (2025 to 2036) in three phases: Transition, Stabilization and Resilience. It aims to bring refugees into government education, water, health and housing services.
- Refugees living in a camp need a movement pass from the Commissioner to travel outside the designated area.
Who can apply
- Visiting a camp: anyone, after writing to the Commissioner for Refugee Affairs
Official sources (7)
- Brief History refugee.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Locations refugee.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Kenya Statistics Package, 31 August 2026 refugee.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Operation Statistics refugee.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- The Kenya Shirika Plan refugee.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Government Launches Shirika Plan to Enhance Refugee and host communities Inclusion refugee.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- FAQs refugee.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026