The World Food Programme (WFP) will halt all cash assistance programmes in Kenya from June if a funding gap of up to Sh5.7 billion is not plugged, affecting thousands of refugees and needy people who rely on the support.
The world’s largest humanitarian organisation says its programmes in Kenya —especially those supporting refugees— face an uncertain future and will no longer be fully operational from June.
This, the UN agency said, is due to a sharp drop in donor funding, which has left it with a financing gap of $44 million (Sh5.7 billion), making it difficult to continue normal operations.
“Around 720,000 refugees supported by WFP in Kenya will from June receive an in-kind food ration of just 28 percent and all cash assistance will halt unless additional funding is received,” said the WFP in a statement.
The organisation said the number of refugees fleeing drought and conflict from Somalia and South Sudan has outpaced the growth of its resources, straining the limited contributions from global donors.
“WFP’s operations supporting refugees in Kenya are under immense strain,” said Baimankay Sankoh, WFP Deputy Country Director in Kenya.
“With available resources stretched to their limits, we have had to make the difficult decision to again reduce food assistance. This will have a serious impact on vulnerable refugees, increasing the risk of hunger and malnutrition.”
WFP supports about 720,000 refugees and internally displaced persons across various camps in Kenya, who now face reduced income and assistance, impacting their livelihoods.
Kenya hosts about 830,000 refugees and asylum seekers, a more than 70 percent rise since 2020. The WFP says many of them are grappling with food insecurity and malnutrition.
“Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate among refugee children and pregnant or breastfeeding women in Kenya is above 13 percent.
A GAM rate over 10 percent is classed as a nutrition emergency, particularly in refugee settings, meaning urgent intervention is required to prevent life-threatening complications from malnutrition,” said the UN agency.
