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Kibaki directs closure of Kenya refugee camps
A boy walks past Mawingu IDP camp in Gilgil, Rift Valley province in August 20, 2009. President Kibaki has ordered the closure of all such camps in two weeks. Photo/FILE
In Summary
- Government to purchase land for resettlement of all IDPs.
- Finance Ministry to provide funds for the purchase of land for the resettlement programme.
- Ministry of Land identifies arable land for the same purpose.
Kenya President Kibaki has directed the resettlement of all internal refugees in two weeks.
The President ordered the ministries of Finance, Special Programmes, Lands, Internal Security and Agriculture to move with speed in ensuring that land is made available for the resettlement exercise.
“We should move with speed to resettle the IDPs who are still in camps. This matter has dragged on for too long. We must deal with it and ensure that we do not have persons still living in camps,” he said.
“We also need to help those who are going back to their land to resettle and undertake their farming. I also appeal to all communities to live peacefully and co-exist harmoniously.”
President Kibaki was speaking Friday at his Harambee House office where he chaired a meeting of the committee overseeing resettlement of IDPs.
During the meeting, it was resolved that all IDP camps should be closed down within two weeks once the IDPs are resettled on the land purchased by the government.
It was also agreed that the Ministry of Finance should provide adequate funds for the purchase of land for the resettlement programme while the Ministry of Land identifies arable land for the same purpose.
The Ministry of Internal Security was directed to ensure that no new camps crop up after the genuine IDPs are resettled.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Special Programmes was ordered to continue with the exercise of paying Sh 25,000 to the integrated IDPs who are accommodated by other families.
The committee also agreed that the purchase of land by the government for the purpose of resettling the IDPs should be conducted in a transparent manner to ensure that government gets value for its money while the IDPs are resettled on arable land.
The meeting was attended by Special Programmes minister Dr Naomi Shaban, Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti and Lands minister James Orengo and Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura among others.
The IDPs became refugees in their own country following the post election violence that rocked Kenya after a disputed presidential poll.
The chaos resulted in the death of at least 1,300 people and the displacement of 650,000. It is this latter number that has largely been living in camps dotted around the country.
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The truth be told; that there is no will to resettle the IDPs. Why take so long to do that? As the order comes from Kibaki himself then this means his decision making is whimsical and never based on hard facts. No one can beleive him that he took more than 21 months to see the suffering of these people. And we still trust him with our lives....
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kshs 25000 what is that bana that is not even enough to pay for school fees for one year for the IDPS kids Government please do better how about free education for the kids of the IDPS i guess you can use some of the money that was used for the sale of the government Mercedes Benz
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Is Kenya really learning any lessons from all these mess created by ECK and Kibaki?These IDP have been suffering in the cold while Kibaki sits and sleeps in his Cozy home with his family!What plans are on the ground for this order? Even some will now run to pitch another tent from Muranga hati yeye pia ni IDP.Do these people think?Ama ni mambo hivi hivi,humu humutu?
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