“I’ve been waiting 10 years”: Queer refugees hope for dignity in Kenya’s new integration plan

Image Description: An illustration showing rainbow-colored threads flowing toward and weaving into the Kenyan flag, merging with its black, red, white, and green stripes.

For 10 years, Jeremy, 28, has lived at the Kakuma refugee camp, and the hope and dream of a dignified life and a better future have kept him going.

Jeremy, a Ugandan, sought refuge in Kenya in 2015 after unknown individuals attempted to end his life through an arson attack.

“My family turned against me when I openly came out as gay. I was attacked and assaulted twice, but the worst came when my house was set on fire to harm me,’’ said Jeremy.

Jeremy is among the many queer refugees from Uganda who have been crossing over into Kenya with the hope of securing resettlement in European countries.

But like Jeremy, life has not been easy for the majority of queer refugees. For years, many of them have been waiting for the Kenyan government to grant them refugee or asylum status.

“I have been waiting for ten years. At some point, I lost hope,’’ Jeremy told Minority Africa.

To provide a solution to the refugee crisis, the Kenyan government has floated the Shirika Plan, a program that seeks to integrate refugees into Kenyan society by transforming refugee camps into normal villages.

For cases like Jeremy’s, the plan includes provisions to finally grant status to long-pending refugee and asylum claims. But how this will unfold remains uncertain, particularly for LGBTQ+ refugees who have faced some of the most severe violations inside Kenya’s refugee camps.

For decades, Kenya has provided a safe haven for refugees escaping persecution and conflict from the Great Lakes region. The latest data shows that Kenya hosts approximately 836,907 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority of them (51%) at the Dadaab camp, 36% at the Kakuma camp, and 13% in urban areas.

In 2021, the UNHCR estimated that there were 1,000 LGBTQ+ refugees in Kenya, but rights groups say the number could be 5,000 since the Kenyan government stopped registering refugees based on sexual identity. 

Craig Paris, executive director of the Refugee Coalition of East Africa (RefCEA), told Minority Africa that since 2022, the number of queer refugees and asylum seekers from Uganda and DR Congo has been on the rise.

“We have so many we have helped settle in urban areas after opting to walk out of the refugee camps. We have new cases coming in every other week,’’ Paris said.

Jeremy told Minority Africa that as much as Kenya is more welcoming to queer refugees, life at the refugee camp is not all rosy, especially for sexual minority groups.

“At Kakuma you are exposed to all manner of risks. It is not the best place you would want a human being to live,’’ Jeremy said.

Refugee crisis

The surge in the number of refugees has continued to exert pressure on Kenya in the wake of shrinking donor and humanitarian aid. 

President William Ruto led the official launch of the Shirika Plan on March 28, 2025, saying, “The plan will ensure inclusive management of refugee affairs in the country.”

The plan, set to be implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), seeks to transform existing refugee camps into villages, a move that will see the integration of refugees and other communities. 

Jeremy notes that “the plan, if fully implemented, will solve most of the problems facing refugees in and out of the camps.”

 Just like Kenyans, through the plan, refugees and asylum seekers will have access to all public and private sector services, including education, health and banking, and will be allowed to get tax numbers, register and operate businesses.

Queer refugees in Kenya have long been experiencing rights violations, with cases of arson attacks targeting LGBTQ+ members being common at the Kakuma refugee camp.

To protect refugees against any form of attacks, Shirika’s implementation will be premised on the principles of human rights, non-discrimination and protection against persecution.

For people like Jeremy, integration will give them a chance to actualize their dreams and live a normal life.

“Many of us have skills and ideas that, if put into use, could contribute to the economy of Kenya. We want to live a normal life and I feel if properly implemented, this plan will better the lives of many queer refugees,’’ he said.

“Self reliance”

According to Paris, queer refugees who have long been victims of homophobic attacks in refugee camps, particularly Kakuma, feel that the Shirika plan will guarantee them the much-needed safety and freedom.

“Many queer refugees are vulnerable to targeted attacks within the camps, but if you give them the freedom to choose where to live, they will settle in places that are queer-welcoming and friendly,” Paris told Minority Africa.

He added, “The plan guarantees the freedom of movement to refugees without being monitored. They will not need a movement permit to travel across Kenya, and this means that one can settle in any town and establish their lives there.”

Kamya Chrisestom, a transgender refugee at the Kakuma refugee camp who has previously suffered arson and physical attacks, says life in the camps has made them soft targets for attacks, and integration could be a better alternative.

“Allowing us to register and operate businesses will help us shift from donor to self-reliance’’ she said.

Kamya, a fashion designer by training, says that she has been unable to get employment or open a business in Kenya due to lack of a tax number and bank account, which are key requirements.

“By being allowed to register and operate a business, I will not only enhance my economic fortunes but also employ other skilled queer refugees in our circles’’

The implementation of the 11-year plan is estimated to cost $943 million.  

UNHCR Nairobi office spokesperson Njoki Mwangi told Minority Africa that they will work with the Kenyan government to ensure that the implementation of the plan leaves no group behind.

“Key among the guiding principles of the plan are inclusivity and non-discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender or any other grounds. UNHCR will offer support during its implementation,” she said.

Jeremy told Minority Africa, “As refugees, we must feel the real impact of the Shirika Plan. This can only happen if and when it is fully put into action. It should not just remain a policy on paper. We want real action.”

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Edited/Reviewed by PK Cross and Caleb Okereke. 

Illustrated by Rex Opara.