Kenya Red Cross, UN begins registration of Ethiopian refugees arriving in Moyale amid conflict

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Kenya Red Cross have initiated the registration process for Ethiopian refugees crossing into Kenya through Moyale as conflict in Ethiopia escalates, resulting in a growing number of displaced families. This registration exercise commenced on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Hagosa and OMC camps, requiring refugees to be issued with blue wristbands containing unique identification codes to accurately track the number of individuals seeking safety in Kenya.

Subsequent to the registration, household profiling and the distribution of aid cards will take place to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance and enhance coordination of services.

The Kenya Red Cross is actively supporting this exercise while concurrently providing humanitarian assistance to families arriving from Ethiopia. A Kenya Red Cross official, Kasanga, highlighted that the registration process will yield a precise count of the displaced population, enabling humanitarian agencies to identify households in urgent need of assistance.

Kasanga emphasized that the first phase of registration involves affixing identification wristbands on all refugees, including children, before moving on to household profiling.

Refugees are currently facing challenging living conditions, with many households compelled to take in multiple families fleeing the conflict. One resident noted the strain on resources, as families arriving in Kenya have been compelled to seek shelter with relatives, leading to a surge in households accommodating multiple families. These households, previously able to house only one family, now host as many as ten, with several households sharing limited cooking facilities.

The refugees have expressed their desire for peace in Ethiopia, lamenting that the ongoing conflict has forced them to leave their homes and seek safety across the border. Additionally, they have called for continued humanitarian support as they grapple with the mounting number of displaced people.