Department of Refugee Services

After independence, a Secretariat was set up by the Government under the Ministry of Home Affairs to handle refugee matters. However, in the early 1990s, Kenya received an influx of refugees from the neighboring countries of Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia among others.

Over the years the government institutions managing refugees as well as the legal frameworks have been changing overtime . A Refugee Secretariat under the Ministry of Immigration and Registration of Persons was established in the early 2000s which was later upgraded to the Department of Refugee Affairs (DRA) on 17 May 2007 and established under the enactment of the Refugees Act 2006. On 27th February 2009, the Minister gazetted the refugee reception, registration and adjudication regulations to assist in the implementation of the Refugee Act 2006. The Department of Refugee Affairs was disbanded in May 2016 and renamed to Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS). In November 2021, a new Refugee Act 2021 replaced the Refugee Act 2006 and came into force on the 22nd February 2021, subsequently this renamed the Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS) to the Department of Refugee Services (DRS).

To be an effective and efficient refugee and Asylum Seekers service

To manage provision of protection services to refugees and Asylum seekers in Kenya.

Maintain high moral and ethical standards
Ensure efficiency and effectiveness in giving services to refugees
Observe high level of human rights and dignity of refugees
Integrity, honesty, transparency and accountability in serving refugees
Foster team spirit of DRS team
Impartiality and fairness to all refugees in Kenya
Patriotism
Client Focus

Mandate and Functions

According to Section 6 and 7 of the Refugee Act 2021, the Department of Refugee Services is established under the public service. The mandate for the Department are:

(a) Responsible for all administrative matters concerning asylum seekers and refugees in Kenya;

(b) To co-ordinate activities and programs relating to asylum seekers and refugees; and

Services

Section 8. of the Refugee Act institutes, a Commissioner for Refugee Affairs who heads the Department.

The role of the Commissioner is well defined in the Refugee Act of 2021.

The main Services offered at the Department are:

Reception & Registration Read More
Documentation Read More
Protection Read More
Ongoing Protection: Case Management Read More
Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Read More
Durable Solutions and Relocation Read More

Committees Under the Refugee Act 2021

Their are two other Committees formed under the Refugee Act 2021 to support the Department.

i. The Refugee Status Appeals Committee.

RSAC Committee was formerly known as Refugee Appeals Board in the previous Refugee Act 2006. The role of the Appeals Committee is to hear and determine appeals against any decision of the Commissioner with regard to— Refugee Status Appeals .

ii. The Refugee Advisory Committee;

RAC is an Advisory Committee to the Cabinet Secretary and its role of is highlighted in Section 10 of the Refugee Act 2021

Acts, Regulations & Policies

CS Mwasaru, Mercy, O.G.W., is the Acting Commissioner for Refugee Affairs, effective 22nd July 2025. She is a career Public Administrator who joined the public service in 2003 as a District Officer.

Over the course of more than 20 years in public administration, CS Mwasaru has held various positions within the Ministry responsible for public administration and internal security. Her areas of service have included Administration, Reforms and Training, Child Labour, Private Employment Agencies, and Internal Security Affairs. Her career reflects a distinguished record of dedication to governance, security, and institutional development.

An alumna of Moi University, CS Mwasaru holds a Master of Arts in Development Studies (Conflict, Reconstruction, and Human Security) from the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Moi University and a Diploma in Public Administration from the Kenya Institute of Administration.

Her professional development includes certifications in Security Risk Assessment and Management, Strategic Leadership Development, Senior Management, Senior Mission Leadership, and Incident Command (Basic, Advanced, and Managerial Levels).

In the private sphere, CS Mwasaru has volunteered as a Social Worker at Uzima Rehabilitation Centre for Street Children and completed field attachment at Likoni Approved School and Juvenile Remand Home in Mombasa.

In recognition of her exemplary service, governance leadership, and distinguished standing in public service, she was awarded the prestigious Presidential honor of the Order of the Grand Warrior (O.G.W.).

Known for her engaging communication style and strong passion for public service, CS Mwasaru continues to bridge academic insight with actionable policy, advancing resilient and inclusive governance frameworks nationally and across the region.