Kenyan leaders from the North Eastern region say they want the Dadaab refugee camp shut down as part of efforts to tame the Al-Shabaab militants.
Dadaab refugee camp, holds about 500,000 people who fled conflict in Somalia and is the biggest refugee camp in the world.
The leaders, led by Garissa Township MP and National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale on Monday said the camps were being used to plan attacks against Kenya.
They told a news conference in the capital, Nairobi, that the camp was used by Al-Shabab as a training and coordination center for their actvities.
“The camps have been the centres where the training, coordination and the assembly of terror networks is done. We want the refugees to be relocated, across the border.” said Mr Duale
“They come from Somalia and the people of Kenya need to be protected. They can go across the border. UNHCR can still facilitate.” added Duale
“They have been with us for the last 20 years. I think time has come when the national security of our people becomes paramount than the international obligations that we have.” said Mr Duale.
Aid agencies have rejected previous calls for the closure of Dadaab, the largest refugee camp in Africa.
Mr Duale, said Kenya should “engage” with the international community to step up patrols along its long and porous border with Somalia.
The call comes as Kenya mourns the loss of 148 people who were massacred by Al Shabaab at the Garissa University on Thursaday last week.
The leaders also hope the closure of the camp will help to tame the Al-Shabaab menace.
