DEPARTMENT OF REFUGEE AFFAIRS

What DEPARTMENT OF REFUGEE AFFAIRS does

The Department of Refugee Services (DRS) is a Kenyan statutory body established under the Refugee Act No. 10 of 2021, replacing the prior Department of Refugee Affairs. DRS operates under the Ministry of Interior and National Administration and holds an exclusive mandate to manage and assist refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya. As of May 31, 2026, Kenya hosts approximately 852,388 refugees and asylum seekers, with 49% in Dadaab Refugee Camp, 37.1% in Kakuma Refugee Camp, and 13.9% in urban areas.

DRS delivers a defined portfolio of core services: reception and registration of new arrivals, documentation (Refugee Identity Cards, Asylum Seeker Passes, Conventional Travel Documents, Movement Passes, Letters of Recognition), protection services with case management for Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Health Concerns, and Education, Refugee Status Determination under the Refugee Act 2021, durable solutions (voluntary repatriation, local integration, third-country resettlement), and intra-country relocation. Beyond statutory services, DRS implements the Kenya Shirika Plan — a socioeconomic inclusion framework launched in April 2025 transitioning refugee support from humanitarian aid to development-focused approaches aligned with Kenya's Vision 2030 — alongside regional programs KISEDP, GISEDP, K-PEEL, K-WASH, and NYOTA. Operations run through a national footprint of a Nairobi head office, Dadaab and Kakuma camp offices, and transit centers in Mombasa, Nakuru, and Eldoret.

DRS does not generate commercial revenue. Its funding flows from Government of Kenya allocations and international partnerships, with UNHCR and the World Food Programme serving as core strategic partners and the World Bank and USAID as secondary partners. Commissioner for Refugee Services John Burugu leads the organization. Public communication is conducted through the official government website (refugee.go.ke), a Twitter handle (@refugeeaffairs), and a Facebook page (Department of Refugee Services-DRS, Kenya).

Name

DEPARTMENT OF REFUGEE AFFAIRS

Legal name

Department of Refugee Services (DRS)

Website

https://refugee.go.ke

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DRS is Kenya's statutory body under the Refugee Act 2021, mandated to manage and assist refugees and asylum seekers nationwide. It delivers registration, documentation, protection, status determination, durable solutions, and the Shirika Plan socioeconomic inclusion program, serving approximately 852,388 beneficiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Refugee Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB), Refugee Camp Coordination & Management (CCCM) (BPADAHAC), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH)

Keywords

• Refugee management services
• Asylum seeker registration
• Refugee status determination
• Humanitarian protection services
• Refugee documentation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The Department of Refugee Services is a Kenyan government statutory body established under the Refugee Act 2021 that receives, registers, documents, protects, and conducts status determination for refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya. It delivers these services free at the point of delivery through a national network of one head office, satellite offices, three urban transit centres, and two large refugee camps (Dadaab and Kakuma), and also runs multi-donor socio-economic inclusion programs such as the Shirika Plan, KISEDP, GISEDP, K-PEEL, K-WASH, and NYOTA.

Product overview

The Department of Refugee Services (DRS) is a statutory body established under Kenya's Refugee Act 2021, mandated to manage and assist refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya. The organization operates a portfolio of core services including Reception and Registration, Documentation (issuing Refugee Identity Cards, Asylum Seeker Passes, Conventional Travel Documents, Movement Passes, and Letters of Recognition), Protection services with case management for vulnerable populations, Refugee Status Determination (RSD), Durable Solutions (voluntary repatriation, local integration, and third-country resettlement), and Relocation services. DRS also implements several development programs including the Kenya Shirika Plan—a socioeconomic inclusion initiative aligning with Kenya's Vision 2030—as well as KISEDP, GISEDP, K-PEEL, K-WASH, and NYOTA programs. Kenya hosts approximately 852,388 refugees and asylum seekers across Dadaab Refugee Camp (49%), Kakuma Refugee Camp (37.1%), and urban areas (13.9%).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reception and Registration Initial reception and registration services for refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Kenya, delivered through DRS offices, transit centres, and camp-based facilities (Dadaab and Kakuma).
• Documentation Issuance of Refugee Identity Cards, Asylum Seeker Passes, Conventional Travel Documents (CTD), Movement Passes, Letters of Recognition, and Camp Visit Permits to refugees and asylum seekers. CTDs enable international travel by refugees in lieu of a national passport.
• Protection Legal protection services for refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya, including non-refoulement safeguards and case management for Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Health Concerns, and Education concerns.
• Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Assessment and decision-making process to determine whether asylum seekers in Kenya meet the criteria for refugee status under the Kenyan Refugee Act No. 10 of 2021.
• Durable Solutions Provision of durable solutions for recognized refugees in Kenya, comprising voluntary repatriation to country of origin, local integration in Kenya, and resettlement in third countries.
• Relocation Relocation services for refugees within Kenya between designated camps and urban areas.
• Kenya Shirika Plan Government-led program to foster socio-economic inclusion of refugees and host communities, transitioning refugees from humanitarian aid to development-focused approaches. Aligns with Kenya's Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and Vision 2030.
• KISEDP (Kalobeyei Integrated Socioeconomic Development Plan) Integrated socio-economic development plan for the Turkana region, focused on Kalobeyei and Kakuma, that has informed the broader Kenya Shirika Plan.
• GISEDP (Garissa Integrated Socioeconomic Development Plan) Integrated socio-economic development plan for the Garissa region (Dadaab catchment area) that has informed the broader Kenya Shirika Plan.
• K-PEEL Development program for refugees in Kenya delivered under the Department of Refugee Services.
• K-WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program delivered for refugee settlements in Kenya.
• NYOTA Refugee support program under the Department of Refugee Services.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Food Program (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 January 2025DRS and WFP partnered to enhance food security and self-reliance for refugees and host communities. This partnership focuses on supporting refugees' transition from humanitarian aid to development-focused approaches under the Shirika Plan.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR works closely with DRS in managing refugee operations in Kenya, including refugee status determination processes, protection services, and durable solutions implementation. The partnership is integral to the implementation of the Refugee Act 2021 and international refugee protection frameworks.
• World BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe World Bank is listed as a related link, indicating potential collaboration on development programs for refugees and host communities in Kenya.
• United States Agency for International Development (USAID)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSAID is listed as a related link, suggesting potential development assistance partnerships for refugee programs.
• Ministry of Interior and National AdministrationcoreOthersDRS operates under the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, coordinating refugee affairs within the broader national government framework.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tanzania Department of Refugees Services: Regional East African government counterpart managing refugee camps (e.g., Nyarugusu, Mtendeli) and status determination under Tanzania's Refugee Act, sharing comparable operational and policy challenges.
• Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA, Ethiopia): Ethiopian government agency responsible for refugee registration, documentation, camp coordination, and durable solutions. Directly comparable in mandate, camp-based delivery model, and operational scale in the Horn of Africa region.
• Office of the Prime Minister - Department of Refugees (Uganda): Uganda's lead government department for refugee reception, registration, status determination, and protection — a direct East African peer with the same statutory mandate, serving a comparable refugee population under a progressive refugee policy framework.

Emerging players

• Relief International: Humanitarian organization delivering health, livelihoods, and protection programming in Kenya's refugee operations. Comparable as an implementing partner ecosystem participant alongside DRS's strategic framework.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Global humanitarian NGO delivering refugee protection, health, education, and economic recovery programs in Kenya. Operates in Dadaab/Kakuma and urban areas, with service overlap on DRS-mandated programming.
• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC): International humanitarian organization active in Dadaab and Kakuma delivering protection, shelter, WASH, and livelihood services to refugees and host communities — overlapping delivery focus with DRS's programmatic portfolio.
• Danish Refugee Council (DRC): International NGO providing protection, RSD support, and durable solutions in Kenya's refugee camps. Comparable as a service-delivery operator but operating under DRS's statutory authority rather than independently.

Broad incumbents

• International Organization for Migration (IOM): UN agency managing migration, including displacement and resettlement. Overlaps with DRS on movement passes, relocation, and durable solutions, particularly in third-country resettlement programs.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): Global multilateral with the international mandate for refugee protection. DRS's core strategic partner; shares overlapping functions in RSD, protection, and durable solutions, but operates at international rather than national level.

Regional players

• Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (Rwanda): Rwandan government body responsible for refugee management including reception and camp coordination (e.g., Mahama, Kiziba). Comparable statutory role within the East African refugee response framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/refugeeaffairs
• Facebookfacebook.com/Department-of-Refugee-Services-DRS-Kenya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-refugee-affairs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DEPARTMENT OF REFUGEE AFFAIRS