|
|
Kenya: Displaced in Central Province Set for Return to Former Homes
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
The Nation (Nairobi)
8 May 2008
Posted to the web 8 May 2008
Nairobi
Internal refugees who fled to Central Province will be taken back to their former homes once the Government finalises logistics, PC Japhter Rugut said on Wednesday.
Consequently, District Commissioners have until Friday to forward details of refugees in their respective areas, the PC said.
Speaking to the Nation on phone, Mr Rugut said before resettlement commences, the Government wanted to know where they hailed from so as to ease their transportation.
"We know where they are from, but we need to compile data for purposes of transporting them to their various destinations," he said.
The province, is currently hosting about 83,000 refugees most of who are living with their friends or relatives.
As of Wednesday, only three camps - Ruring'u Stadium near Nyeri Town, Kirathimo in Limuru and Ngorika in Nyandarua North District - with a total of about 3,000 refugees, were operational in the populous province.
Meanwhile, there were mixed feelings at the Ruring'u Stadium camp, with some of the displaced vowing not to return to their homes and others showing willingness.
Mr Paul Mathenge, 54, is waiting for transport back to his home in Kapsabet in Nandi South District.
"I am willing to return home, but I urge the Government to give me transport and some money to rebuild my house," he said.
But 38-year-old Samwel Ngumo said it was only safe for those who have relatives in the Rift Valley to return since they were assured of support.
He said the Government should sell the farms and allocate them land in another part of the country.
Contemplate
Mr Wainaina Kuria, 52, said he did not contemplate returning to his farm at Kuresoi since it would be the third time he would be rebuilding his house following post-election chaos.
At the Nyahururu Municipal Council social hall camp, refugees said they were willing to go back. The families said they were only waiting for transport back to their farms in the North and South Rift.
Speaking when they received food donations from T-Falls Athletics Welfare Association, the families said although they had not been given any official communication on their resettlement, they were optimistic that they will be assisted to go back to their homes soon.
The donations, that included maize flour and rice, was handed over by officials of the association, who included Mr Peter Ndirangu (chairman), Mr Ibrahim Kinuthia (secretary) and members Mr Joseph Kamau and Mr Hutchson Njama.
About ten families are still camping at the council's facility, although the number of internal refugees living in Nyahururu is high.
Many of them rented houses in the town's residential estates through the assistance of locals and churches.
Ms Jane Njeri, one of the refugees, said she was willing to return to Kericho.
|
A spot check by the Nation showed that some families were hiring vehicles to transport their household goods back to their former homes.
Ms Damaris Wairimu, from Kimumu in the outskirts of Eldoret Town, said she was waiting for a lorry ferrying sweet potatoes to Bungoma to help transport her belongings back to Eldoret.
Reported by Wilfred Muchire, John Njagi and David Macharia
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 The Nation. 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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
