The Kenyan government has been asked to open a new camp for the Somali refugees who are arriving in their droves each day. Speaking after witnessing the pathetic states of the new arrival refugees at the Dadaab refugee camp, the UN refugees agency's director Mr Antonio Guterres, called on the kenyan government to open a new settlement for the arriving Somali refugees who are fleeing one of the worst droughts to hit the Horn of Africa state.

Most of the refugees are emaciated, and children are badly malnourished. It is said that this is the worst drought to hit the war-torn nation in over sixty years. After witnessing the appaling situation, Mr Guterres quipped, “I have visited refugee camps around the world, but I must admit I have never seen people living under such conditions". he also described the refugees as “the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable of the vulnerable.”

The dadaab refugee camp is one of the largest in the world. Although it was initially meant for 90,000 refugees, it now accommodates over 400,000 families. Most of them are Somali's who fled the 21 year civil strife. The camp has thee camps-Ifo, Dagahaley and Hagadera. The United Nations High Commissioner for refugees has been pressing the Kenyan government to facilitate the completion of Ifo II, to accommodate the new arrivals, most of whom are fleeing the drought in the nation. Currently, over 1,400 refugees are arriving daily, most of whom have children who need urgent medical and nutritional care. Adults too, are not in any better situation.

The Kenyan government on its part, has been hesitant to allow the opening up of the new camp on security grounds. The threat of Al-Shabaab insurgents has been the point of reference. The International Aid organisation has also been pressing the Kenyan government and other international partners to look into the drought situation in the Horn of Africa. Through various aoppeals sent to media houses, the organisation's Communications Director Alun McDonald has been appealing to the Kenyan government to allow the refugees fleeing the drought to be allowed into the Kenyan territory without many hustles. The Kenya- Somali border is technically closed, thanks to the large number of troops deployed there to counter the Al-Shabaab threat.

So desperate is the drought situation in Somali, that the Al-Shabaab terror group that had banned relief agencies from operating in Somalia, has had a change of heart, and is now calling for aid agencies to offer help.

For now, as the government weighs the options as to whether to open the camp or not, emaciated children with wrinkled skins continue to troop into the camp, accompanied by their equally sickly parents and guardians.