allAfrica.com: Kenya: Dilemma of Resettling IDPs (Page 1 of 2)

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.

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