Nairobi, Sept. 9 -- Kenya's refugee and asylum-seeker population hit a record 857,065, with Eritreans and Burundians recording some of the fastest growth over the past decade as the country increasingly becomes a destination for people fleeing conflict, political instability and economic hardship.

The number of refugees and asylum seekers reached 857,065 in June 2026, up 73.2 percent from 494,863 in 2016, according to data compiled from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The growth has been particularly pronounced among some of the smaller refugee communities.

Eritreans led with the fastest growth, rising from 1,590 in 2016 to 7,880, representing a 395.6 percent.

Burundian's had the second-fastest growth. Their number ...