Salat also urged the government to work closely with the local community when carrying out the repatriation drive, saying residents feel sidelined. Muslim clerics in Garissa county have urged the government to re-think the proposed date for the repatriation of refugees, saying the drive will interfere with Ramadhan. “We would not wish to see these people return to the camps, because of poor planning of the repatriation programme,” Salat said. The government has said the repatriation will cost Sh20 billion and would end in November. Speaking to the Star on the phone, Garissa Supkem chairman Abdullahi Salat said the July 1 date earmarked by the government to start the repatriation of refugee falls within the Ramadhan calendar.

Source: The Star June 28, 2016 03:56 UTC