UK targets Kenya as host for immigrants

  PHOTO | FILE This photo taken on July 31, 2011, shows Somali refugees walking in the new Ifo-extension at the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, the largest refugee camp in the world. Kenya has been identified as one of the countries that will host people seeking asylum in Britain as their applications are processed.  AFP

By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Wednesday, May 1   2013 

In Summary

MPs propose that London pays Nairobi to put up asylum seekers

 

Kenya has been identified as one of the countries that will host people seeking asylum in Britain as their applications are processed.

Reports in the Business Daily and the UK’s Guardian said a group of British MPs forwarded the proposal to Prime Minister David Cameron’s government asking that it pays Kenya and other countries to host immigrants in “processing camps.”

The proposal, contained in a report by the Conservative Way Forward group and authored by Tory MP Julian Brazier, says the influx of immigrants is putting a strain on infrastructure.

“We must consider making treaties with democratic Third World countries with plenty of space (few are as crowded as the UK)… if we could secure a deal with Kenya, it would be worth our while to make a considerable payment per capita to them to provide a haven for Somali asylum seekers, sent from Britain to have their cases examined,” Mr Brazier is quoted saying.

Kenya, however, says it has not received any formal proposal from the UK to provide “safe houses”.

“We have not received any request from the UK. I have only read about the reports in the Press,” the Political and Diplomatic Secretary at the Foreign Affairs ministry, Mr Patrick Wamoto, said.

If approved, the proposal could see thousands of asylum seekers confined in leased houses in Kenya.

The move, the Conservative MPs argue, will help stem illegal immigrants.

Approve move

Most immigrants are housed in secure locations inside Britain.

Kenya hosts thousands of refugees, mainly from war-ravaged Somalia. It remains to be seen if the new government will approve the move. The country also hosts some 10,000 British soldiers in training.

Last month, Mr Cameron called for stringent measures to curb “easy” granting of citizenship to foreigners.