Water Shortage Forces Kakuma Refugees to Pay 150% Premium as Community Tensions Rise
Kakuma, 17 January 2026
A three-month water crisis at Kakuma Refugee Camp has created a troubling economic divide, with some refugees paying KSh 50 per jerrycan whilst others access water for just KSh 20. This pricing disparity, combined with completely dry taps since July 2021, has transformed daily water collection into a source of violence and inter-community friction. Women bear the heaviest burden as primary water collectors, whilst former water traders like Regina have lost their KSh 300-400 daily income and resorted to selling personal belongings. Community leaders warn that without urgent intervention from UNHCR, the situation threatens to escalate into serious communal conflicts that could destabilise the entire camp.
Systematic Water Rationing Collapses as Crisis Deepens
The water shortage has completely dismantled the previously established distribution system that operated twice daily between 7:00 am and 9:00 am, then again from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm [1]. Zerihun Lemma, a 65-year-old community leader in Kakuma 3, confirmed that this regular schedule served almost all communities before the crisis began in July 2021 [1]. The collapse of this systematic approach has forced refugees into an unregulated market where pricing varies dramatically based on community affiliation and location within the camp.
Economic Disparity Creates Community Divisions
The pricing structure reveals a troubling pattern of discrimination, with host community members charging Kakuma 1 refugees KSh 50 per 20-litre jerrycan whilst traders supply Ethiopian and Somali communities at just KSh 20 per 20-litre [1]. This represents a 150 per cent price premium that residents like Halima Aden from Kakuma 1, Zone 1, Block 5 are forced to pay [1]. The disparity has created economic strain on already vulnerable populations, with some refugees paying more than double the rate charged to other communities for the same essential resource.
Former Water Traders Face Economic Collapse
The crisis has devastated local water trading businesses, exemplified by Regina, a mother of seven in Kakuma 1 who previously earned between KSh 300-400 daily [1]. Regina can no longer operate her water trading business and has been forced to sell personal valuables to survive, highlighting the ripple effects of the water shortage beyond direct consumption needs [1]. Her situation reflects the broader economic disruption affecting entrepreneurial activities that refugees had developed to supplement their livelihoods within the camp’s informal economy.
Violence Becomes Daily Reality at Distribution Points
Community leader Andersen from Kakuma 3 reports that violence has become a daily routine at water distribution points throughout most areas of Kakuma 3 [1]. This escalation of tensions coincides with the timing of Turkana County’s hottest months, as January, February, and March typically see temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius [1]. The National Drought Management Authority of Turkana County had forecasted in July 2021 that only dispersed rainfall with temporal distribution of 1-2 days was experienced in some sections of Turkana West, suggesting limited natural relief for the water shortage [1]. Anonymous community leaders are urgently requesting intervention from UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council to address the crisis before communal conflicts escalate further [1].