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Kenya: Sh20m Paid Out to Victims of Post-Election Violence

23 June 2008

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Nairobi — The Government has spent Sh20 million compensating victims of the post-election clashes in Kipkellion area and those in other affected areas will be paid once the authorities have profiled them.

Wilfred Ndolo, the Director of Resettlement, said each household gets paid Sh10,000.

Yet, interviews with displaced persons show that they are demanding amounts way above what the Government is willing to pay them.

Joseph Kamau, who lives at the Eldoret ASK Showground, is demanding Sh378,000 from the State as compensation. He lost 300 broilers, 10 sheep and 105 bags of maize, he says.

"Instead of telling us about compensation, they want us to go back home," he says in apparent reference to the Government's spirited attempts to close the refugee camps.

Destroyed

Another victim, Ms Elizabeth Wanjiku Ngunyi, is demanding Sh138,000 while Ms Ann Wanjiru, whose house was destroyed in the post-election mayhem, is seeking Sh500,000 before they can even contemplate going back home.

They are also demanding food rations to last them for two months.

"We have no business premises, we have no capital," says Mr John Nderitu Wachira, the chairperson at Eldoret ASK Showground.

"Returnees are not given food, so how are they expected to begin life from scratch?" he asked.

Reports indicate that provincial administrators in Nyanza plan to close the camps soon.

Provincial commissioner Paul Olando says only 472 people remained in the Eldoret camps while 200,000 have returned home.

Only Ekerenyo Camp in Nyamira will remain open for a while, he said. Mr Ndolo said five in six victims of the violence have returned home.

By Sunday, only 41,000 people remained in camps spread in the Rift Valley, Nyanza and parts of Western provinces.

"As we talk, 200,021 have gone home since Operation Rudi Nyumbani started," said the Director of Resettlement Mr Ndolo.

In Uasin Ngishu District, 8,000 are still living in the camps. At the height of the post-election violence in February, 350,000 people were living in 176 camps spread across the country. Those willing to be resettled are given one-month food rations and seed while the Government subsidises ploughing costs.

In Trans Nzoia East, the Government had by last month distributed 114 tonnes of maize seed to 4,404 farmers who fell victim to militia groups and cattle rustlers. In addition, the Government ploughed 2,034 acres for 780 returnees.

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