Many refugee communities in Kenya are in a protracted situation having lived in the country for decades or even having been born there. Many refugees have no hope to return to their countries of origin due to ongoing conflicts, nor the opportunity to be resettled to a third country due to limited resettlement places being offered. Local integration as an alternative durable solution has also not been fully eased by the government even for refugees who have family ties with Kenyan nationals through mixed marriages. The objective of this study is to assess the extent of local integration in Kenya. In particular, the study seeks to understand the experiences of refugees who have applied for permanent residency and/or citizenship with a particular focus on refugee spouses of Kenyans and children born of mixed marriages in Kenya; to understand the aspiration of refugees in regard to local integration; to assess the extent to which refugees enjoy the right to work; and to evaluate the nature of the host community’s perception of refugees.
Finding durable solutions: Refugees’ access to citizenship and permanent residence in Kenya
Bisimwa Mulemangabo and Dr Kenneth Wyne Mutuma
