Protesting refugees. (Social media).

The Kenyan government has reportedly deployed police to Kakuma Refugee camp to disperse demonstrations by thousands of hunger-stricken refugees protesting the sharp reduction in food assistance from UN agencies.

South Sudanese community leaders at the camp told Eye Radio on Monday the situation was tense after the Kenyan police fired live and rubber bullets at the protesting refugees, injuring some individuals.

The Kakuma camp has been hosting South Sudanese (majority), Somali, Congolese, and Burundian refugees.

The vulnerable populations – forced to flee their home countries over wars or disasters – have staged demonstrations in front of the camp management after going five days without water – amid acute food shortages and inadequate healthcare.

Cornelius Kaka, a South Sudanese refugee leader in Kakuma, told Eye Radio that police has dispersed the protestors this morning.

“We went and fought with those people in their office because things are not ok and they refused to give us our rights, they refused to listen to us and the deputy camp manager pushed us by force in using of the police forces,” Kaka said.

“They shot on the person in his stomach and they ran with him because they are using live bullets. Now we are scattered due to the using of the bullets and all this because of the food ratio and refugees refused that.”

Thousands of refugees were protesting outside the main entrance of the UN High Commissioner’s Sub-Office in Kakuma on March 3, demanding urgent relief for the lack of food, water, and what they describe as unfair treatment, according to Kakuma News Reflector, an independent news magazine run by journalists from the camp.

Kenyan newspaper Nation reported that the refugees appeal to the Kenyan government to provide basic necessities or facilitate their return to their home countries. It also indicates that the refugees have voiced concern over the government’s plan to integrate them with the Turkana host community, expressing their strong disappointment with the initiative.

On his part, Simon Ruot, said the humanitarian situation in Kakuma is very dire, adding that majority of the refugees are close to starvation.

“You know the situation is not good. The strike has now become a threat to the community due to the hunger. Even now, we are still asking people to go back. Yes, we have some gunshots and we are the majority here in Kakuma.

Thousands of South Sudanese refugees who fled the civil conflict that erupted in December 2013 and 2016 have sought sanctuary in Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee camps.

Kenya’s Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement host over 148,000 South Sudanese refugees, one of the largest refugee populations globally.

U.S. government’s recent foreign aid freeze for three months has left humanitarian organizations around the world struggling to deliver even life-saving assistance.