By Jacob Onuha Nelson
The returnees called for humanitarian support as they remain stranded at the Nadapal border.
These refugees are part of the huge numbers deserting Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya to South Sudan due to a shortage of food and other services.
In an interview with this outlet, Alfred Adaha Kasio, a government official working at the Nadapal border, said returnees are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
“It is a miserable report on our people to be in a wrong situation like this. We have those reports already. People are suffering in the camp until they flee out of the country,” Adaha said.
Adaha acknowledged that due to food shortages, rations had forced returnees to leave Kenya.
“They need to be supported; let the government and humanitarian affairs join their hands together to bring them to their locations in various places,” Adaha stated.
Sahil Hilson confirmed to this outlet in a phone call interview on Monday that they have been trekking in order to reach the Nadapal border.
“We walked on foot from Kakuma Camp to Nadapal. Imagine a family of four died on the way with their mother. If you really take a look at the situation, you’ll shed tears,” Hilson wept.
The returnees urged the organizations and government to intervene as hunger continued to hit them.
“It is at least better for the residents of greater Kapoeta who had received their people than for us people who are just at the bus stage with old people and children crying for food and water to drink,” Hilson noted.
Hilson urged the humanitarian aid and government to play their responsibility to rescue the worsening situation.
“We are just urging the humanitarian aid and government to assist returnees to reach their respective regions in South Sudan,” Hilson acknowledged.
“The situation is calamitous and dire for returnees to be kept at the border. when you’re watching people who have nothing to eat are dying, especially for those who are still on their way to Nadapal.
However, earlier this year, over a hundred thousand Kakuma refugees had been facing a shortage of food rations in Kenya.