President assures IDPs of payment amid rumblings

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses residents of Bomet at Bomet Green Stadium during the launch of Joyce Laboso's manifesto for the governorship position on July 6, 2017. He said IDPs in the county will be compensated soon. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In the violence, 1,300 people were killed and more than 600,000 displaced.
  • The integrated ones are those who lost homes and businesses but opted to seek shelter at their relatives' or friends' places.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday affirmed that his administration will compensate all internally displaced persons.

In the face of criticism over the manner in which his government has been paying people affected by the 2007/2008 post-election violence, the President said all the victims will be supported "wherever they are".

"We understand there is the unresolved matter of integrated IDPs. Be they in Bomet, Kericho, Nyandarua, Kisumu, Bungoma or Busia, we shall compensate each one of them wherever they are," he told a crowd in Bomet.

COMPENSATION MONEY
The President was in the county to witness Dr Joyce Laboso, Jubilee Party governorship candidate, launch her manifesto.

But he was quickly drawn by complaints from some of the locals that they have not received the money despite previous promises.

For Bomet, he said the money will be coming by next week, although he did not say how much.

"Next week, Cabinet secretaries (for Devolution and Planning and for Energy) will come here and pay all integrated IDPs in Bomet," he said.

THOUSANDS MURDERED
The IDPs have been a consistent thorn in the flesh of the government despite spending more than Sh10 billion as recompense.

In the violence, 1,300 people were killed and more than 600,000 displaced.

The integrated ones are those who lost homes and businesses but opted to seek shelter at their relatives' or friends' places.

Most of them were scattered across the country, mainly in counties of their descent.

MISSING OUT
Initially, those in the camps were paid Sh400,000 each and the camps were then closed officially at the end of 2014.

In Kisii last month, each IDP got Sh50,000 per person.

But there were still complaints last week that some had missed payment.