The High Court has temporarily stopped the Kenyan government from closing the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps pending hearing and determination of a case challenging the directive.
The application by the Former presidential aspirant Peter Gichira argued that the move is unconstitutional.
Gichira argued that the directive on closure of the two camps violates the Constitution of Kenya, International Laws and treaties regarding protection of refugee rights and is therefore null and void.
He is seeking an order to permanently stop the enforcement of the directive.
The matter will be mentioned on April 13, 2021.
The three Dadaab camps are Dagahaley, Ifo and Hagadera. The first two are located in Lagdera (Dadaab) district while Hagadera is located in the neighbouring Fafi district.
A large part of the residents in the old camps (Ifo, Dagahaley, Hagadera) arrived in Dadaab in the 1990s and have children and grandchildren born in the camps.
The camps resemble naturally-grown towns and have developed into commercial hubs connecting north-eastern Kenya and southern Somalia.
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