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Kenya, 14 November 2026 - Protests erupted in Garissa on Saturday as refugee youths from Hagadera Refugee Camp resisted government efforts to implement a modern market project on an open field whose coordinates had been approved following consultations with the county government, the national government, refugee leadership and the host community.
Chairman of the Hagadera Host Community Mahat Mowlid, who also represents the office of Fafi MP Salah Yakub, told Dawan Africa that the youths were most likely incited by some powerful business people with vested interests.
“The youths were most likely incited to oppose the market project, despite our consulting with all interested parties about the importance of this modern market project and ironing out issues, especially those touching on some football teams that have been training on the grounds where the market was proposed to be built,” Mowlid stated.
He said they were holed up in a meeting with the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) to chart the way forward. He added that officers restrained themselves during the morning incident and that some officers were injured as they moved to contain the situation.
“There are some people who feel that a modern market that sits where there is a school, with a borehole on the other side, will attract many business people who will abandon the current market,” Mowlid added, saying the project is being opposed for economic and political reasons.
The Department of Refugee Services (DRS) Hagadera Field Office was vandalised after the youths pelted security officers with stones, leading to heightened tension and a breakdown of law and order. DRS was formerly known as the Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS).
According to police, the incident happened at 6am despite the presence of security officers under the command of the OCPD, drawn from Hagadera Police Station, Kambios Police Station and Borehole 5 Police Post.
There are reports that Lighting Control Units (LCU) equipment, office chairs and other government assets were looted, while some property was destroyed and set ablaze. The melee forced many general shops to remain closed, while owners of hardware shops reported that their premises were broken into and their wares carted away.
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The meeting moves to deescalate tensions that pose a serious threat to the safety of government personnel, humanitarian workers, business operators and the refugee community.
A six-point action plan has been recommended. The first is an urgent multi-agency security meeting involving the DRS, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), police and other stakeholders.
The second is an immediate assessment of the damage, stolen assets and looted business premises.
The third is a reinforced and strengthened security deployment to prevent further looting, vandalism and escalation.
The fourth is identifying the suspects and bringing them to book. The fifth is dialogue between refugee leadership and community representatives to calm tensions, while the last recommends a temporary review of the implementation exercise pending a comprehensive security assessment.
“The situation remains a serious security concern and requires urgent intervention by security agencies and relevant stakeholders to prevent further deterioration,” the police report from Hagadera Police Station stated.