Kakuma Refugee Camp Erupts in Protests Over Food and Water Shortages
Kakuma refugee camp, one of the largest in the world, has been rocked by violent protests as refugees demand access to food and water. The demonstrations erupted on Monday, February 24, 2025, with Kenyan police firing live bullets to disperse the crowd, according to local reports.
The camp, which houses around 200,000 refugees from South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia, has seen severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies due to recent U.S. aid cuts.
Refugees Blame U.S. Aid Cuts for Crisis
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) recently slashed humanitarian funding under the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts, leading to widespread hunger and deteriorating conditions in Kakuma.
Many refugees voiced their frustration, blaming the situation on U.S. policies.
“Since Trump became president, everything is blamed on him—no pay for workers, no medicine in hospitals, and now we have to pay school fees,” said Mama Kayembe, a Congolese refugee in Kakuma. “We are tired of Trump.”
Growing Insecurity and Uncertain Future
The humanitarian crisis in Kakuma has also led to rising insecurity, with tensions between different refugee groups escalating over scarce resources.
Without alternative funding sources, aid agencies warn that the situation could spiral further out of control, worsening malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and violence in the camp.
Source: africanews