Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has called on the private sector to increase investment in refugee-hosting areas, saying the regions have significant potential to become centres of economic growth and job creation.
Murkomen said the Government was stepping up efforts to transform refugee-hosting communities through investments that promote self-reliance, create employment opportunities and strengthen local economies.
Speaking during the 6th Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF) Learning and Strategy Conference in Nairobi, the CS said humanitarian assistance should be complemented by sustainable development initiatives that benefit both refugees and host communities.
He noted that the Shirika Plan, launched by President William Ruto in March 2025, provides a framework for integrating refugees into socioeconomic development while promoting inclusive growth in host communities.
Murkomen highlighted the contribution of the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund since its establishment in 2019, revealing that the programme had supported 131 businesses, contributed to approximately 6,945 full-time equivalent jobs and mobilised US$13.79 million in private investment.
He called for stronger market systems, improved infrastructure and innovative financing mechanisms to sustain the gains and unlock further economic opportunities in refugee-hosting regions.
“To the private sector, I urge you to view refugee-hosting areas as emerging markets for long-term investment, not merely destinations for short-term development support,” he said.
The CS emphasised that lasting economic transformation would depend on building viable enterprises and creating sustainable employment opportunities rather than relying on development grants and humanitarian assistance.
The Government’s approach under the Shirika Plan seeks to shift refugee management towards socioeconomic inclusion, enabling refugees and host communities to participate in economic activities and contribute to local development.
