Refugee Integration and Peaceful Coexistence in Kenya: A Case of Kakuma Municipality, Turkana County, Kenya

An important and relevant research area was the integration of refugees and their peaceful living with the host community in Kakuma Municipality of Kenya. Kakauma is host to over 283, 969 refugees of different nationalities, the study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of refugee integration programs in promoting peaceful coexistence between host and refugee communities in Kakuma, Kenya. Of the other concern of the study is to understanding the perception of the host community towards refugee integration and peaceful coexistence and assessing the efficiency in implementing the concept of refugee integration in concern to peaceful coexistence among groups. The study was anchored on Intergroup Contact Theory, the theory claims that people of different groups might reduce prejudice and harmony among the groups and favorable interface through contact. A mixed-methodologies approach to was the study was used, whereby both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were used. The target population includes the Kakuma Municipality citizens and the Kakuma refugee camp residents that are approximately 439,708 people. The sample size of 400 was used for quantitative part by using Yamane‟s formula and the participants were selected purposively. The qualitative component comprised of 20 key informant interviews. For the quantitative component, data was obtained using structured questionnaires, while the qualitative component was acquired using semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data was examined using SPSS version 28.0, which included descriptive and inferential statistics such as Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression. Thematic analysis was used to examine qualitative data. The study’s goal was to give thorough insights on refugee integration and peaceful coexistence in Kakuma Municipality, which will help to influence refugee management policy and practice. The results revealed that perceptions of refugee integration, efficacy of integration programs were significantly and positively correlated with peaceful coexistence, with regression analysis showing that these factors explained 75.6% of the variance in peaceful coexistence. Key findings based on the objectives included: generally positive host community perceptions towards refugee integration and peaceful coexistence, with daily interactions, cultural exchange, and economic integration being important factors; the crucial role of access to healthcare services in promoting peaceful coexistence, with equal access, quality care, and addressing language barriers being key issues; the effectiveness of refugee integration programs in promoting peaceful coexistence, particularly when addressing diverse needs and involving local government support. Based on these findings, recommendations were made to engage the public in promoting positive perceptions and intensify efforts towards implementing effective integration strategies.