Senator Lomenen Notifies the Senate that the Host Community Struggles to integrate with Refugees.
Turkana Senator James Lomenen has voiced concerns in the Senate over the challenges faced by the Turkana host community in integrating with refugees.
Speaking during a Senate session on Wednesday Morning, the senator questioned whether the Prime Cabinet Secretary was aware of the difficulties the host community has encountered in the integration process.
“Is the Prime CS aware that the host community has been facing difficulties in integrating with the refugees? Is he also aware that sufficient time has not been given to the host community to participate and be informed on how they can integrate with the refugees?” Senator Lomenen posed.
He further criticized the government’s approach in handling host communities, terming it unfair. According to the senator, the lack of proper engagement and sensitization has led to resistance from the host community, fueled by the perceived hostility from the refugees.
“The way the government has been handling the host communities has been unfair, which has, in turn, forced them to refuse integration due to the hostility of the refugees,” he added.
The remarks come amid ongoing discussions on the coexistence between host communities and refugees, particularly in regions such as Turkana, where large refugee settlements exist.
