Kenya’s neglected IDPs

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the internal displacement of pastoralist communities in northern Kenya, highlighting a significant gap in protection and assistance compared to other regions of the country. It analyzes the complex drivers of displacement—including colonial legacies, violence, human rights abuses, and climate factors—and argues that current responses are largely inadequate, short-term, and uncoordinated.

• There are an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Kenya, yet they face severe marginalization and a lack of protection compared to IDPs in other parts of the country.
• Displacement in northern Kenya is driven by a complex set of interrelated factors, including colonial-era fixed borders that disrupted traditional resource management, violent cattle raiding, and human rights violations by state security forces.
• The 1984 Wagalla massacre in the Wajir district is cited as a major instance of state-led human rights violations, resulting in approximately 3,000 deaths and 21,000 displacements.
• Responses to pastoralist displacement are criticized for being limited to short-term humanitarian aid, such as food distribution, rather than long-term security and development solutions devised with the communities.
• Territorial violations by foreign armed groups and militaries contribute to displacement, including incursions by Al-Shabaab from Somalia, the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), and forces from Ethiopia and Uganda.
• The report identifies a failure in the application of legal protections; specifically, the Indemnity Act of 1972 provided immunity to security forces who displaced thousands in northern Kenya, and mandated protection groups like the Protection Working Group lack a meaningful presence in the region.
• The report contrasts the neglected situation in the north with the response to the 2007/08 post-election violence (PEV), where the government launched 'Operation Rudi Nyumbani' and provided grants of 25,000 Kenyan shillings for house reconstruction.

APA

Sheekh, N. M., Atta-Asamoah, A., & Sharamo, R. (2012). Kenya’s neglected IDPs. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_8Oct.pdf

Chicago

Sheekh, Nuur Mohamud, Andrews Atta-Asamoah, and Roba Sharamo. Kenya’s neglected IDPs. Institute for Security Studies, 2012. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_8Oct.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sheekh |first1=Nuur Mohamud |last2=Atta-Asamoah |first2=Andrews |last3=Sharamo |first3=Roba |title=Kenya’s neglected IDPs |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=8 October 2012 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_8Oct.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sheekh2012kenyas, author = {Sheekh, Nuur Mohamud and Atta-Asamoah, Andrews and Sharamo, Roba}, title = {{Kenya’s neglected IDPs}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2012}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2012_8Oct.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }