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Kenya: Row As IDPs Find Livestock Feeding On Crops
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The East African Standard (Nairobi)
8 May 2008
Posted to the web 7 May 2008
Steve Mkawale And Antony Gitonga
Nairobi
Tension has hit Ndeffo farm in Nakuru after some displaced people returned home.
The former residents were shocked to find their neighbours grazing their animals on food crops in the farms.
They were forced to drive the animals out of the farms causing tension between them and their neighbours.
"We spent the night outside guarding our families because our neighbours had threatened to attack us," Mr Julius Kariuki, a villager, said on Wednesday. Most of those uprooted from their homes in Ndeffo had planted crops while staying in the camps scattered within Molo District.
But they were shocked to find animals feeding on the crops under the watchful eyes of herdsmen.
Ms Mary Nyambura, 36, described her neighbours' action as deliberate and meant to provoke them. "They don't want us to settle in our homes. They are intimidating us," said Nyambura.
But local police commander, Mr Francio Nyamatari, said nobody had reported such incidences to his office.
"I have been there several times and officers on the ground have not heard of such complaints. Those people must report such incidents to security personnel and not the media," said Nyamatari.
But the police chief promised to visit the area and establish the truth, noting that there was enough security for those returning to their homes. "Administration and regular police are on the ground assisting them to resettle. We have also sent General Service Unit personnel to patrol all the affected villages," he said.
Meanwhile, a camp in Naivasha that is home to more than 2,000 victims of post-election violence will be closed, the area DC said.
Mr Arthur Mugira said the Kedong IDP camp, which is home to local flower firm employees uprooted from their rental houses, would be closed by the end of this month.
Despite opposition from the flower workers, the DC said it was immoral for them to continue earning salaries while staying at the camp.
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The DC's announcement came as plans were unveiled to start resettling 11,000 displaced people camping in Naivasha District next week.
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| Copyright © 2008 The East African Standard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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