3 May 2008
Nairobi — The thousands uprooted from their homes by post-election violence return beginning Monday with the gun at the ready, in case of resistance.
The success or failure of the 'forceful' resettlement will have wide ramifications on the power sharing deal between President Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The deal was, apart from quelling the raging fires of inter-ethnic violence, expected to stabilise the situation and allow for resettlement of the displaced. But the emergence of historical land issues set off fears even among the displaced, it was not yet time to return to their homes. President Kibaki declared the Government would resettle them, and to achieve the goal, quickly put up 30 police stations in the traditional flash points.
Raila and his team on their part supported the resettlement, but called for more time to smoothen the ground for their return. Local leaders, the majority of who voted against President Kibaki's and Raila's recent visit to the camps also warned the process should not be hurried.
Today the programme for the resettlement is in the works as well as that of closing down the tented camps, whose soaked and dirty grounds the displaced have sought refuge for the last four months. President Kibaki, eager to get the eyesore of Internally Displaced Persons' camps under his reign, has pressed the button and it is all systems go.
He has staked his credibility and that of his regime on the divisive issue, by choosing the gun. How far this will go even some of the security officers interviewed are not sure.
"We are going to dismantle tents in all the camps housing the IDPs. People must go back to their farms without any further delay," said the Provincial Commissioner in charge of the resettlement.
Local leaders wanted those arrested released, interdicted chiefs reinstated, and the Government to show its commitment to the power sharing deal. But on all grounds they have lost, the Government for which they are now a part of, is pushing on, eager to remove the trauma and pain of displacement off the back of those in the camps.
Rift Valley is teeming with security personnel who will oversee the return of the displaced and also ensure their safety as they pick up the pieces of their lives.
The programme launched by Rift Valley PC Mr Noor Hassan is coded Operation Rudi Nyumbani (Operation Return Home).
In an exclusive interview, Archbishop Ndingi Nzeki, who is the chairman of the Advisory Board of the Humanitarian Fund for victims of post-election violence, said his board would announce the resettlement programme and way forward after touring the IDP camps starting Monday.
The Government, he revealed, will allow the IDPs to choose either to go back to their farms or relocate.
"The board will tour the IDP camps starting Monday next week to listen to the IDPs, their preferences and views on a number of issues. We want to understand whom the genuine IDPs are, who wants to go back, who wants to relocate, and their needs among others. We will report to the minister after the tour, compare notes and then embark on resettlement," he said.
Technocrats on the board are Lands and Settlement PS, Mr Kombo Mwero, the Treasury PS, Mr Joseph Kinyua, and Special Programmes PS Rachel Arunga.
But some IDPs fear returning to the farms, where they were evicted during post-election violence.
Hassan said the Government has deployed military personnel, General Service Unit, Regular and Administration Police officers to areas affected by the violence to oversee the return.
Other security sources said IDPs will have to leave the camps, and those who resist would be evicted.
"It is more of forceful resettlement because many IDPs are not prepared for this. They want to stay on in camps," said a senior officer from one of the areas.
Sources said the Government was considering several resettlement approaches, including centralised temporary villages in areas affected by violence, pending eventual settlement or relocation.
"In some places, central villages will be constructed, serviced with water, health services, schools and security facilities. Houses will be built for them. People can then either visit their farms from these villages, or move out and resettle when things improve," said a minister
"Among the board's most challenging task will be vetting genuine IDPs from free loaders, short-listing contractors and land owners willing to sell land at reasonable prices to resettle those who wish to relocate, assessing the compensation levels for IDPs, who wish to be compensated to set themselves up where they want, among others.
The first batch to be resettled in Kipkelion will target over 6,000 IDPs in local camps. About 1,000 had earlier returned to their farms. The exercise is set to move to Molo on Monday where 0ver 8,000 IDPs are in camps, then to Cherangany to resettle another 6,000. Resettlement in Uasin Gishu, which was among the worst hit areas, will also start soon, said the PC.
Burnt Forest, Kitale, Eldoret, Naivasha and other areas are also in the urgent resettlement list.
Thirty police stations have been hurriedly built in areas that are on the initial resettlement list of an exercise that police say could go on for over six months. About 3,000 security personnel have been deployed for the initial exercise.
"We are embarking on a serious resettlement programme of IDPs and we have deployed enough security personnel," added Hasan.
Speaking at a public rally in Kipkelion District, the PC led members of the Provincial Security Committee in urging displaced persons to return home.
He spoke as police uprooted IDP tents erected outside Kipkelion DC's office.
But the exercise encountered resistance from some NGOs, IDPs Network and Social Reform Centre (SRC), which argued the displaced needed to be consulted before they are resettled.
"The Government should resettle IDPs unconditionally without subjecting them to more trauma," they said.
Speaking to The Saturday Standard in Nakuru, SRC Executive Director Ms Beatrice Kamau said the information flow from the Government to IDPs was inconsistent; giving room for rumours that could frustrate the process.
"There is no committee or spokesperson from the Government side to relay information needed to speed up the exercise. Instead, there are many voices from the Government that tend to create confusion among the displaced," she said.
She urged the Government to form a committee that would lead the resettlement.
At Kipkelion, several families were offered free transport to return to their farms and the PC assured them that the Government would give them cash assistance to rebuild their houses.
Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer Joseph Ashimalla, the Provincial Criminal Investigations Officer Mohammed Amin, and the Provincial Director of Education Peter Macharia accompanied the PC.
Hassan said only five schools were yet to re-open following post-election violence, while 169 teachers were yet to resume duties.
Hassan said the exercise would continue in Molo District and parts of Uasin Gishu District where the displaced families will be ferried back to their farms.
The PC said the Government would distribute tents, and construction posts to the displaced to help in reconstruction.
He said the displaced in various camps would be allowed to take along the tents they have been using at the camps. The PC said medical personnel have been deployed in Molo and Uasin Gishu to provide services to the affected.
On Thursday, Police Commissioner Hussein Ali chaired a high level meeting of security officers that included commandants from the GSU and Administration Police at Vigilance House to plan for the repatriation of the displaced.
On Friday, the PC presided over the burning of pangas, machetes, bows, and arrows that were used during the violence that claimed 16 people in the district to symbolise the return of peace.
"We are burning these crude weapons to symbolise that residents of Kipkelion have resolved to co-exist with their neighbours, who were displaced," he added.
In Narok police will next week escort the displaced back to their homes as the Government stepped up its resolve to resettle the victims of post-election violence.
Narok North DC Mr Andrew Rukaria said on Friday the Government had availed vehicles to transport the IDPs back home and would offer 24-hour security for those who are resettled.
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