Plan to resettle IDPs opposed

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Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi. Photo/FILE 

By SIMON SIELE ssiele@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, October 21  2012 at  23:30

IN SUMMARY

• Leaders have threatened to hold demonstrations over the proposed new home for chaos victims

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The fate of more than 100 displaced people living in the Nakuru Pipeline camp hangs in the balance after leaders from Molo constituency opposed their resettlement in the area.

Area MP Joseph Kiuna and Nakuru county council chairman Heze Kariuki declared during Mashujaa Day celebrations that they would mobilise residents in opposing the relocation of the families to a 1,200 acre farm.

Kisima Farm was recently identified by the government through negotiations with estate administrators of former Police Commissioner Bernard Hinga’s parcel in Njoro District.

A group of squatters were given until November 9 to vacate the land earmarked for IDPs resettlement — a move that has heightened political tensions in the area.

“We are not going to allow any visitors to be ferried to my constituency until all local leaders are widely consulted to ensure squatters sitting on the land bought for the IDPs are given priority in the programme,” Mr Kiuna said.

The MP claimed he was not consulted during the land procurement.

“I have been a strong crusader for the resettlement of IDPs, but this time round, I am objecting to any attempt to relocate the victims to my constituency because negotiations were done behind my back by politicians from other regions,” the legislator said.

The IDPs remained in camps after more than 1,000 families were relocated to various farms bought by Ministry of Lands. So far, there are at least 1,700 others still on the government waiting list.

Mr Kiuna warned the local Provincial Administration, led by Njoro DC Mohammed Noor, that he was ready for any eventuality if demonstrations were carried out ahead of the resettlement next month.

“Mr DC, I am ready to be tear-gassed in street protests unless you call for an urgent leaders’ meeting to resolve this issue so that the squatters are accommodated,” he said.

Mr Kariuki proposed that the more than 50 squatters be allocated 25 per cent of the procured land to avert conflict between the IDPs and host community.

In Nyanza, internally displaced people have accused the government of neglecting them after committing on Sunday to resettle their counterparts in the Rift valley.

Through their chairman Mr Nelson Oegi, the Nyanza Network for IDPs is threatening to boycott the next elections unless their grievances are addressed.

“Why should we vote, yet we have been lied to all these years?” Mr Oegi asked.

According to the group, efforts to contact the Special Programmes ministry officials over their plight have been futile.

The IDPs have vowed to hold demonstrations in Kisumu Town to push their demands.

“We are going to mobilise our members and there will be demos in the next two weeks so the government can know we are still suffering,” Mr Oegi said. (READ: IDPs to be settled by January, says Murugi)

Additional reports by Gibendi Ramenya and Angela Oketch