Germany's refugee programme freeze leaves asylum-seekers stranded in Kenya

Chaste Zamukunda is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo. In April 2025, she and her son boarded their flight away from a Kenyan displacement camp.  

They had received official approval to travel to Germany as part of a United Nations programme to resettle refugees. 

But once in Nairobi, their travel was cancelled at the last minute, after Germany’s new government froze the country’s participation in the programme. 

"We felt like we were being saved", Zamukunda said. "We went to Nairobi and were put up in a good place. We ate well, we slept well. Then the bad news came: Germany has rejected us, we'e not going." 

The centre-right party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz won German federal elections in February, in part on a promise to curb immigration. 

The coalition in power decided to halt refugee admission through the UN programme in April. 

Altogether, 183 refugees were flown back from Nairobi to refugee camps that month, according to the UN agency for refugees. 

Among those affected by Germany's decision was South Sudanese pastor Dennis Kumer. After a two-year process involving medical checks and security interviews, the news of the cancellation came as a shock to him and his family. 

"It was not a good day for all of us. You found everyone falling sick", he said. "No one could eat their food." 

Germany’s decision has affected asylum seekers in many countries, including people from the DRC, South Sudan and Afghanistan. Some of them are now taking legal action. 

Over 50 families and individuals are reportedly suing the German government, according to immigration lawyer Matthias Lehnert.

"We are actually confronted with lots of individuals who have legal binding acceptances to get to Germany, and the [new German] government not only closes their eyes to the individual situation, but they are closing their eyes to the law", Lehnert said.

Germany's Interior ministry said 4,711 people had arrived in the country through the UN-led programme since 2024.

The country had promised the European Commission to take in 13,000 refugees for 2024 and 2025 combined.