Compensate us or we won’t vote, Nakuru IDPs tell State

Integrated internally displaced people (IDPs) living in Nakuru have vowed not to take part in the coming elections if the government fails to honour its promise to compensate them.

The more than 200 IDPs Tuesday held a peaceful demonstration in Nakuru Town, claiming that the government has been discriminating against them while compensating other victims of the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

Led by their chairman, Mr Rodgers Mwai, the demonstrators went to the county commissioner’s office seeking his audience.

According to Mr Mwai, the integrated IDPs are a part of the group who sought refuge among their friends and relatives after they lost their homes but they were profiled for compensation.

LOST PROPERTY

“When we lost our property and our loved ones we moved to the various camps within Nakuru.

“The government then came up with a campaign dubbed Operation Rudi Nyumbani where some of those in camps were resettled,” he said.

Mr Mwai said those who moved in with friends and relatives have since been compensated while those who remained in the camps were resettled.

“Another group of IDPs who crossed over to Uganda during the clashes later came back and the government compensated them. All this time we haven’t received any feedback from the government,” said Mr Mwai.

“President Mwai Kibaki’s (government) side-lined us [claiming] that we were not genuine.

“We will not vote if we don’t get any response by the end of the week. We don’t have any political interests. All we need is compensation so that we can move on with our lives,” Mr Mwai said.

COMPENSATION FUND

The IDPs argued that in 2015, the government announced that it had allocated Sh7.5 billion for compensation of integrated IDPs.

In the same budget, there was allocation of Sh10 billion meant to benefit those affected by historical injustices.

“We suspect that the funds have been squandered by some individuals,” said Mr Mwai.

Nakuru County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha, who addressed the IDPs at Nyayo Gardens, said the government has their details but no money has been released to compensate them.

“The government is still working on the verification of the profiled individuals which will be used during the compensation,” said Mr Nkanatha.

He called on them to be patient, promising to forward their grievances to the relevant authorities.