Covid-19 Coverage by the Kakuma News Reflector

By the KANERE Editorial Team

The Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (aka COVID-19) has already impacted many countries around the world, especially in China, Iran, Europe and the United States.

In Africa, at least 52 countries have confirmed cases. Over 13,000 people have tested positive, and more than 700 of them have died. Kenya reported its first case in mid-March, and as the virus continues to spread to new counties, refugees in Kakuma are anxious that the virus will eventually reach the camp.

In the coming weeks, the Kakuma News Reflector will make Covid-19 a special focus. The editorial team is working overtime to report on the responses by humanitarian agencies and the government, as well as the ways that communities are dealing with the threat.

Photo Essay: Two months food assistance distributed in anticipation of potential lockdown

By Baluu Wol Makuach – KANERE Staff Writer April, 2020

On April 2nd, KANERE correspondent Baluu Wol Makuach visited Food Distribution Point 1 to see how the World Food Programme (WFP) was delivering rations under the increased health precautions. To curb the spread of Covid-19 in Kakuma, WFP is distributing a double ration of two months of relief food to beneficiaries.

This is the first story published in KANERE’s Photo Essay series, told through images rather than a conventional written article.

Refugees wait to be screened by KK Security officers in the security queue outside Food Distribution Point 1. UNHCR, along with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), instituted precautionary health measures to be followed by refugees while coming to collect their food. This includes thermal screening, two-meter social distancing, hand-washing, and limiting the number of people present in the collection zone to fewer than ten. But outside, crowding put many people into close proximity to one another.

INFORMATION DISSEMINATION FROM NGO’s IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP

By Hibo Mohammed – KANERE Staff Writer April, 2020

The residents of Kakuma have been worried about the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected many countries but has yet to reach the camp. On 13th March 2020, Kenya announced its first case of Corona Virus, and fear rose in the camp when it was reported in The Daily Nation on March 20th that four people had been detained while attempting to enter Kakuma by road. Due to concerns that they might have been infected by coronavirus, they were put into isolation. The three Somali-Americans men were all relatives; the eldest had just returned from the US, and he was accompanied on the road by his son and grandson.

NEXT CIRCLE

By Okelo Sejo – Kakuma Refugee Camp

There is time for more
And time for less
Time for war
And time to seek refuge
Time to collect ration
And time to starve
Problem is there is just no time

Quotes of the months for August, November – December Edition 2017

“The police are supposed to solve land conflicts and refer the case for resolution. However, if the police see money in the conflict, they take bribes from both parties. The winner is often the one who paid more,”

– says a refugee with experience in shelter disputes/ “Kenya’s black market in “refugee real estate”

“I counted ten bullets holes in his body, two on the neck,” a close relative of Saladhin told KANERE,”

– a close relative of Saladhin told KANERE/ “Political refugee killed by Kakuma police”

“I am in fear for my life, and I am not sure what to do with my business,”

– Farhan told the KANERE journalist at his shop in November/ “Refugee business entrepreneur facing life threats”

“I was trying to resist and I got one of them down but when the other hit my head with a sharp machete, I fell down,”

               – Ali told KANERE/ “Refugee man shot and wounded”

“I heard him crying and asking for mercy for more than ten minutes, then gun rumbles followed,”

–  an anonymous witness told KANERE/ “Political refugee killed by Kakuma police”

“As a single mother, i needed more than the food supplied by the UN. So, i came up with this plan of baking and selling biscuits,”

                   – explains Axlam, a Somali woman living in Kakuma/ “Kenya’s black market in “refugee real estate”

“Land allocation is a big factor but we’re determined to see peaceful co-existence between the refugees and local community,”

– claimed Governor Nanok speaking at a previous World Refugee Day event/ “Refugee business entrepreneur facing life threats”

“We gathered at the scene of murder, we were shocked and nobody can question the police action,”

                 – a Sudanese local elder addressed the mourning crowd/ “Political refugee killed by Kakuma police”

“I was beaten in the market by local women (Turkanas) for a reason not known to me,”

               – Felicia, a business woman in Kalobeyei told KANERE/ “Refugee business entrepreneur facing life threats”

“I was on the ground, then the trio move backwards and one of them fired the gun at me. That was all I could remember,”

               – Ali told KANERE in an interview/ “Refugee man shot and wounded”

Trump administration and its negative effect on refugees

By Qaabata Boru – kakuma.news@gmail.com

The Trump administration’s proposed restrictions and ban on immigration have compounded stress and trauma that is experienced by the camp refugees. 

Kenya’s black market in “refugee real estate”

By Cory Rodgers

The informal system of shelter ownership that has sprung up in refugee camps in Kenya and elsewhere has allowed entrepreneurial activity to flourish, but it is also unregulated and without formal legal protections, leaving some refugees vulnerable to losing everything.

Refugee business entrepreneur facing life threats

By Qaabata Boru

A refugee small business owner is facing a life-threatening situation in Kalobeyei refugee settlement

Refugee man shot and wounded

By Okello and Shidad
A refugee man survived gunshots wounds in a night attack in Kakuma

Letter from the Editor

Dear KANERE readers,

It’s been many months without publication from us and this has been due to continued challenges over material support but we are back on reporting again.

Every time a new edition is out, it’s an anticipation for the voiceless camp resident. This is the thing we do, to provide uncensored stories and counter humanitarian propaganda on many issues surrounding refugee protection, by reporting facts or exposing some of the failures in the refugee operation.

In this edition, we bring diverse stories from across the camps but limited to a more critical coverage of the news items that don’t get reported in other media outlets.

There are stories as from late July where a refugee woman and her son died in a planned fire incident in the camp following a failure in the protection mechanism by the camp authority.

A story where a refugee child died in an aggressive road accident that involved a speeding humanitarian vehicle within the camp settlement vicinity was heartbreaking to many.

Additionally, a new way of census taking was launched by UNHCR through the Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS). The process emerged with new techniques and sophisticated software machines that record fingerprints and iris scanning of refugees.

And yet, KANERE met with a group of artist volunteers from Clowns Without Borders while they were bringing too much fun to school going refugee children in the camp. Our reporters followed them to their shows and interviewed the artists on why they came to Kakuma, and included their narrative in this edition.

A story on Kakuma’s fraud cases and a few others are lined up for you. Stay tuned until the next issue of KANERE for more vibrant coverage in the new year.

We would like to welcome your opinions and expert contributions by writing to us at – kakuma.news@gmail.com

The KANERE Editorial Board and the team, wish you a happy new year 2017.

Sincerely,

Qaabata Boru

Editorial Executive – KANERE

Letter from the Editor

Dear KANERE readers,

This issue remains true to our core principles of providing rich and informative content in a manner that is easy for our readers to understand.

First of all, we apologise for the long stretch over the year 2015 without any publication from KANERE, this has been due to the lack of funding for effective reporting and material support that should enable smooth operation of the organization.

In this edition, we bring diverse stories from across the camp and the region thus with rather a double edition. There are stories from as late as October where refugees seized an AK47 rifle from identified attackers in the camp. In one incident, a refugee woman was gang raped and several cases of gender based violence continue to happen in the camp. The situation of insecurity has continued to deteriorate all through the fall of the year.

Additionally, at least four people have died following the El Niño rains. Hundreds of families have been displaced within the camp settlements as a result of the flooding that often threatened the transport systems. Meanwhile the introduction of Bamba Chakula – an initiative by World Food Program – has earned a negative reaction from the beneficiaries of the food aid. We have collected the opinions of the camp residents on the new system of cash vouchers, allowing refugees to share information on the issues of public interest that affect their lives.

Our editorial contribution for this edition comes from Kathleen Agena, a humanitarian and social justice worker and the founder of the Lindus Institute. Kathleen advocates that a realist approach to refugee crisis should be adopted in tackling the refugee crisis globally.

There are several other stories that are lined up for you and we will keep reporting in spite of the challenges.

As the true voice of the refugees, KANERE is seeking financial support in order to continue to give right to be heard to Kakuma residents and in the region.

Your contribution and feedback is of great value to us.

Best wishes for 2016!

Sincerely,

Qaabata Boru

Editorial Executive – KANERE

Quotes of the months for November, December – January Edition 2016

“When they entered into the Mosque, their aim was to kill us. We don’t know why,”

– Said Karra, a Darfurian man/ “Refugees seized a gun from robbers”

 

“The lorry was taking a wrong turn at high speed when the accident happened,”

             – Obang, an eyewitness, told KANERE/ “Accident in Kakuma 3”

 

“I was hit with a rod on my knee and another attacker pulled my leg while a man with gun and another attacker started beating my husband,”

                 – Latifa narrated her nightmare/ “Attacked and gang raped”

 

“WFP and UNHCR started providing refugees with 100 shillings on a monthly basis. Was it helping refugees or punishing them?”

– Mohammed, a community leader, Kakuma 2/ “Community Talking Point: The Introduction of Bamba Chakula”

 

“A nurse administered quinine to the kid and before it finishes, another nurse added more quinine leading to drug overdose,”

– Said Erick who is an area resident/ “Child negligence”

 

“I run with my children, my husband went to bush and he never returned,”

– Mrs. Deng told KANERE/ “Signing of Peace Deal in South Sudan”

 

“I was issued with the SIM Card by WFP but I don’t have a phone. I never received the secret PIN from them and my family missed the voucher over 5 months now. Any help?”

– Mulki Jamal, Kakuma 4 area/ “Community Talking Point: The Introduction of Bamba Chakula”

 

“The driver deliberately forced his way into the river as both the passengers and road user are shouting to him to stop, we blame him,”

                 – Jamal Farah a member of the victims’ family told KANERE/ “Four Died in Flood”

 

“It was after a long struggle inside the Mosque that we are able to seize the gun from thieves and two others escaped,”

– Ranna said in an interview with KANERE/ “Refugees seized a gun from robbers”

 

“It was devastating to see women and children stranded and starving in the bush and along the border points,”

– KANERE’s reporter at Nadapal/ “Signing of Peace Deal in South Sudan”

 

“We blame the staff at the clinic for negligence on my child,”

                 – Esinyen told KANERE in an interview/ “Child negligence”