Kenya currently hosts over 500,000 refugees, and has been hosting refugees and managing refugee affairs for several decades. 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 Refugee-Led Research Hub, Kituo Cha Sheria, and RELON Kenya, with funding support from the Open Society Foundation, conducted a study on refugees’ access to citizenship and permanent residence in Kenya.

The report was prepared by by Bisimwa Mulemangabo (Lead Researcher, RLRH) and Dr Kenneth Wyne Mutuma (Lead Consultant, Kituo Cha Sheria).