Jane Akinyi
24 February 2008
Nairobi — A task force has been set up to evaluate the damage in Kisumu town, caused by the post-election violence.
District Commissioner, Mr Jamleck Baruga, said the team is expected to give within one week a comprehensive report on the value of property destroyed.
But Baruga said the team faced challenges due to the absence of affected property owners, most of whom were displaced in the skirmishes.
"The people have not shown up to quantify their losses, impeding the efforts of the taskforce," he said.
He said the Government would find a mode of compensating the victims once the team completes its assessment.
The Kisumu City Business District Association estimated the plunder in the lakeside town at Sh3 billion.
The association said over 1,000 people lost their jobs due to destruction of business premises.
Baruga warned of an imminent upsurge in crime occasioned by unemployment. The administrator spoke yesterday at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, during a community policing and peace meeting.
The function was organised by the police and provincial administration.
Present were Nyanza Provincial Police Officer, Mr Anthony Kibuchi and the director of community policing, Ms Christine Mutua, among other senior police officers.
Kibuchi said normalcy had returned and insecurity declined.
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Community policing was a noble idea since its inception. Over time, we have realised that the idea was not well timed into the Kenyan society. many peole have no confidence in the police force and many view them as a draconian force with ill motives. Unless the face of the police changes, managers and coordiantors of community policing will have a herculean task.
The post-election crisis has also dealt a blow to the police force and the perception of come communities in Kenya is that the police were used by the disputed government to either annihilate them… [Read Full Text]