KAKUMA, August 4, 2026 – The August food distribution exercise for refugees living in the Kakuma
Refugee Camp continued today, August 4, 2026, with thousands of refugees receiving food assistance
consisting of sorghum, split yellow peas, and cooking oil.
Refugees living in the camp have complained that the monthly food assistance they receive is insufficient
to meet their basic needs, saying the rations do not last throughout the month.
Under the current distribution system, each person in Category One receives 375 grams of sorghum, 58
grams of yellow split peas, 40 grams of vegetable oil, and KSh300 in cash every month. Those in
Category Two receive 265 grams of sorghum, 50 grams of yellow split peas, 40 grams of vegetable oil,
and KSh160 in cash per month. Refugees classified under Category Three receive KSh530 in cash only,
while those in Category Four do not receive any food or cash assistance.
The refugees say the rations are too small to sustain individuals and families for an entire month,
especially amid the rising cost of living. They have appealed to humanitarian agencies and other
stakeholders to review and increase the food and cash assistance to ensure refugees can meet their
daily needs.
Last year, many refugee households were assigned to Category 4, making them ineligible for food
assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP) until an unspecified date.
A refugee identified as Choul Tot said the classification system has left many vulnerable families
struggling to survive.
“It is heartbreaking to see some refugees receive no food assistance simply because they were placed in
Category 4, while those in Category 1 receive much larger food rations,” said Choul Tot.
Refugees have also continued to criticize United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
the World Food Programme (WFP), arguing that the categorization system does not reflect the actual
living conditions of many families who are unable to support themselves despite being placed in
Category 4.
Another refugee, Deborah, who is classified under Category 1, said she often shares part of her food
ration with her neighbors.
“I am in Category 1. Whenever I receive food, I set aside part of it to help my neighbors because many
families have not received any assistance. Although some are in Category 3, those in Category 4 are
facing the greatest hardship,” Deborah said.
As these concerns continue, the Republic of Korea (South Korea) has donated more than 10,000 tonnes
of rice worth USD 9.53 million (approximately KSh1.23 billion) to support refugees living in the Dadaab
and Kakuma refugee camps.
The donation was officially handed over on July 28, 2026, at the World Food Programme (WFP)
warehouse in Mombasa during a ceremony attended by officials from the Government of Kenya, the
Government of South Korea, and the WFP.
Speaking during the event,on July 28, 2026 Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services
Belio Kipsang described the donation as a timely demonstration of international solidarity at a time when
humanitarian agencies are facing severe funding shortages.
“Today’s handover is much more than a food donation. It is a powerful demonstration of international
solidarity and shared responsibility towards some of the world’s most vulnerable populations,” Kipsang
said.
He noted that the rice donation will provide critical food assistance to nearly 500,000 refugees, at a time
when humanitarian agencies are struggling to meet growing needs with limited financial resources.
Since 2018, South Korea has donated more than 132,000 metric tonnes of rice to refugees in Kenya
through the WFP. The Kenyan government praised the continued support, describing it as vital despite increasing global humanitarian funding challenges.
Kipsang further warned that declining donor funding has forced humanitarian agencies to reduce food
rations, leaving many refugee families struggling to meet their daily food needs.
