Ministries battle for IDP cash

He further said that the government had closed 118 camps in six provinces within a period of six months. “The only camps which are still operating are at the Eldoret ASK showground and Sawmill in Molo,” Mr Mohammed said. On Saturday, Dr Shabaan took issue with some politicians whom she accused of using the IDPs issue as a campaign tool for the next General Election.

She complained that Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta had flagged off a convoy of IDPs two weeks ago from Mawingu farm to be resettled in Rongai without involving her ministry. “While the IDPs issue falls within my docket, I saw the flagging off on television like all other Kenyans,” the minister said. The Sunday Nation was unable to reach Mr Kenyatta yesterday as he did not answer our calls.

She dismissed the IDPs who claimed to have walked from Limuru’s Kirathimo camp to Laikipia, a distance of more than 200 km, as “fraudsters” saying that the camp had been closed last year.

Dr Shabaan said the issue of land was the last one her ministry’s action plan after experts advised that at least 10 per cent of the victims might need to be resettled elsewhere after being displaced by post-election violence. But she noted that the interest the matter had generated was a pointer that there was more than meets the eye.

The corruption in paying out IDPs was exposed in Eldoret last month when the chairman of the Eldoret showground IDPs, Mr Ndungu Wanjohi, was detained after he was paid Sh35, 000. Dr Shabaan said that during one of her field visits, she had seen interference of the lists compiled by the provincial administration hence her decision to call in the KACC.