Refugee Impact on a Fragile Eco-System: The Case of Refugee Housing in Kenya Country

According to the National Land Policy, Kenya hosts many refugees. These are people fleeing from civic strife from their war or economically challenged countries. These refugees will often be there for the better part of their lives. The refugees occupy public land and ASAL regions. The location of these refugee camps is often in fragile ecosystems. Their activities over the years have led to systematic ecological degradation. Despite a National land Policy created in 2009, the country has been unable to improve the status of refugee camps. The research method was based on a theoretical framework which includes a literature review on the impact of refugee presence on the host country. Primary data was collected from one refugee camp and international and local agencies working in these areas. Data analysis was done using available statistical methods. Refugee camps, which initially were supposed to serve fleeing people for a short period, have now turned into permanent settlements. However, the facilities offered remain temporary; the land is affected permanently and will take several years to recover from degradation. The study will rely on desk research and very little case study. This is because most of the refugee camps are located in the more difficult-to-reach parts of the country. The paper contributes to the literature review and offers ways to manage refugee camps to protect a fragile ecosystem