Tuesday, January 18, 2011

State has set aside Sh1b to resettle Mau evictees, says VP

By KARANJA NJOROGE
The Government will soon release Sh1 billion to resettle families evicted from Mau Forest, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka has said.
The Vice-President said the money would be used to acquire land for the resettlement of the families who have been living in camps since they were evicted from the forest one year ago.
Speaking when he donated food to the evictees at Chekburot near Ndoinet Forest, Kalonzo said the Government was determined to ensure all evictees were resettled before the end of the year.
"I will be in the forefront to ensure you are all resettled before the end of the year, and already Sh1 billion has been set aside to buy land for the exercise," he told the evictees.
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka takes tea inside the tent of Ms Gladys Maritim at the Kongasisi IDP Camp in Chepkoburet, Mau Forest. Kalonzo assured the IDPS the Government would resettle them soon.[BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

The move by the Government appears to contradict a report by the Mau Forest Secretariat last month, which recommended that families that were residing in the forest illegally should not be compensated.
There are more than 6,000 families residing on the fringes of the forest in makeshift structures.
The VP used the occasion to drum up support for his presidential bid, asking Rift Valley residents to rally behind him.
Ranked highly
He said following the problems in ODM he was confident he would regain his popularity in the province where he was ranked highly before the 2007 General Election.
"I am back home where I belong, and I am confident the people of Rift Valley who were behind me before the elections will support me," the VP said.
Kalonzo said the Government would spare no effort in ensuring those suspected by the International Criminal Court to have fuelled post-election violence were tried locally.
He urged Parliament, which resumes today, to expedite the passing of crucial Bills that would fast track the cleansing of the Judiciary so the six are tried locally.
"Parliament must act fast and decisively, because we must get our country back from The Hague. We should not allow ourselves to be grouped in the league of failed States," the VP said.
Kalonzo said his talks with various African leaders over issue had been successful, with the countries he had visited supporting efforts to remove the cases from the ICC.
Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot, Mwala MP Isaac Muoki, Vice-Chairman of Nakuru County Council Wilfred Kirui and several councillors accompanied the VP.

No comments:

Post a Comment