The Government of Kenya has launched an ambitious land conversion exercise aimed at transforming the refugee-hosting areas of Dadaab-Hagadera in Garissa County and Kakuma in Turkana County into better planned and more inclusive municipalities. The initiative, being implemented under the Second Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP2), seeks to improve urban planning, infrastructure, and public services for both refugees and host communities.
Through the new exercise, the government hopes to establish clearer land governance systems that can support orderly urban growth, investment in infrastructure, and improved access to services such as roads, water, health facilities, and schools.
The project is being undertaken jointly by the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning, the National Land Commission, the Department of Refugee Services, county governments, and local communities. Officials say the process is also meant to support Kenya’s broader commitment to integrating refugees into local economies while strengthening development opportunities for host communities.