The police yesterday received 17 vehicles to boost security in refugee camps and along the border the Kenya-Somalia border. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees country representative Elike Seghor handed over the vehicles to Internal Security minister Katoo Ole Metito.

Seghor said the donation is part of a security partnership project signed between UNHCR and the government in April 20. Ten of the vehicles were donated for police operations in the Dadaab Refugee Camp and the rest to the Kakuma Refugee Camp.

Metito said the partnership will enhance the maintenance of law and order in refugee camps through the management of cross border influx.

The minister asked the UNHCR to support the proposed voluntary refugee repatriation programme following the percification of parts of Somalia.

"We appeal to other international actors to support the efforts to seek a lasting solution to the refugee problem. There is need mount to joint interventions in restoring the rule of law and returning Somalia back on the development track," Metito said.

He said Kenya was hosts 609,865 refugees by March 2012, of which 96 per cent were from Somalia. This makes it the largest refuge settlement in the world.