Effects of Socio-Economic Activities of Refugees on Host Communities in Kenya: A Case Study of Somalia Urban Refugees in Eastleigh

Refugee influx is a phenomenon with far reaching affects both positive and negative to host nations and with it the host communities. This research aims to demonstrate, how refugees in Kenya affect the socio-economic lives of the host population. It will analyze the socio-economic impact of the urban refugees on host community in Eastleigh for the period 1991- 2018. The research is a case study on the effects of the refugees stay on the socio-economic livelihood of Kenya. It is guided by three objectives namely; investigating the relationship between the refugee populations in Eastleigh, the area's economy, examining the economic effects of urban refugees on host community in Eastleigh and investigating the relationship between the refugees and the local communities. Besides, the study will be based on refugee aid and development theory. The Influx of refugees to the host communities, have far reaching effects both positive and negative to the host countries in relations to the impacts it has on development. Thus the clashing views need not to take sides but an engagement in research to objectively establish the nexus between the refugees stay and their development to the host country. The research adopted the descriptive approach where both quantitative and qualitative methods are applied in order to capture the key elements of the research purpose and objectives. Quantitative come in because there is a need to establish the approximate population of refugees living in Kenya. This will require historical data which will be bred on factual information. To get this true data, the examination will vigorously depend on auxiliary and essential information sources. The research also used in-depth interviews with key informants through individual and focused group discussions. For efficiency the study utilized a questionnaire approach in capturing the required data.