The National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration has been told that all roadblocks across the country will be removed by November this year.

This is according to the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Administration of National Government, Prof. Kithure Kindiki who  appeared before the Committee. 

In a session chaired by the Vice-Chairperson Hon. Yaqub Salah (Fafi)  the CS stated that the move is one of the approaches that his Ministry has taken to minimize disruptions caused by police roadblocks across the country and along the Northern Corridor.

“Police roadblocks have been eliminated across the country and are only erected on need basis, with a directive from Kenya Police Headquarters for a particular purpose and soon after achieving the objective they are dismantled. This roadblock elimination is a Presidential directive,” Prof. Kindiki stated.

According to Prof. Kindiki, the Northern Corridor Transit Patrol Unit (NCTPU) under the traffic department within the Kenya Police Service (KPS), is mandated to secure transit motor vehicles along the route from Mombasa Port to Malaba border, Isebania border and Busia border.

In the same meeting, the CS gave an update on the status of refugees in the country and particularly those from the East African Community region. He told Members that the current refugee numbers in the country stands at 726, 040 and out of this 102, 175 were yet to be registered.

The CS further disclosed that the Government is working on a policy shift from encampment to settlement approach called Shirika (Marshal) plan where systems are established for both refugees and host communities to get enhanced service provision and empowerment to promote self-reliance and resilience.

“Refugees have been integrated into socio-economic systems such as education where they are able to access the Kenyan National Education System, mainstreaming of refugee urban learners attending public primary and secondary schools and access to government scholarships,” Prof. Kindiki told the Committee.

Additionally, the refugees are now able to access healthcare in Government hospitals and can access the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

“Kakuma and Garissa Camps are being elevated to municipalities under the Kenya Urban Support Programme II (KUSP), a programme that is supported by the World Bank. This will build the capacity of County Governments to provide services to refugees and the host communities,” he said.