State embarks on final leg of resettling IDPs
The Cabinet Secretary for Planning and Devolution Anne Waiguru. “Resettlement of IDPs is a key component in assuring Kenya’s long-term stability and the Jubilee Government is fully committed to taking steps to resolve this matter,” She said.
Every household of the last batch of internally displaced persons will receive Sh400,000 to buy land as all camps are to be closed by the end of this month.
The government said it has set aside Sh3.3 billion to resettle the 8,298 households and close the six-year-old camps.
Each of the families will also receive a further Sh10,000 to find housing as they look for land.
“Resettlement of IDPs is a key component in assuring Kenya’s long-term stability and the Jubilee Government is fully committed to taking steps to resolve this matter,” Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru said Thursday.
The minister said during a media conference at the Treasury Building in Nairobi: “We want to ensure that those who were unwillingly uprooted from their homes and livelihoods find a way into normal society.”
Those in Eldoret, Maai Mahiu and Camp Kembu in Mau Forest will be the first to get the money and their camps shut down tomorrow. President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, Mr William Ruto, will oversee the event.
More than 600,000 people were forced out of their homes during the 2007/8 post-election violence that also led to the killing of 1,133. About 1,200 families were evicted by the government from Mau Forest in 2009 in efforts to rehabilitate the water catchment.
The government also opened bank accounts for the families and the heads of the households would be required to confirm them before the money is sent.
“The head of the household, and the spouse will be the joint signatories to the money. This is a move to ensure that women are not left behind in the monetary decisions that will ultimately affect their livelihoods,” Ms Waiguru added.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich factored in the resettlement money in the 2013/14 budget.
The remaining camps are in Maai Mahiu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kikopey, Kiambu, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu.
The closing of the camps comes just days to the commencement of the trial of Mr Ruto at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He will be tried alongside
journalist Joshua Sang for crimes committed during the 2007 violence beginning Tuesday.
