Nairobi — People impersonating internally displaced persons are delaying the compensation for genuine ones.

Now a thorough audit is required to separate fake IDPs from genuine ones in order for their resettlement to proceed.

Some IDPs interviewed in the North Rift admitted that some of them who had the potential to resume normal lives were still staying in tents to benefit from compensation and housing promises from the government.

"Sometimes I look at pictures in newspapers and read about how people whom I know make a false impression of their actual life and wonder whether the 2007 post election skirmishes were supposed to be a blessing or something to wish away as quickly as possible," Mr Ephantus Macharia said.

Genuine victims

Mr Macharia reveals that some of those claiming to be IDPs were capable of "putting their house in order" and asked them to own up and let genuine victims of the skirmishes benefit.

The IDP cited a case where some of the IDPs had sold their parcels of land in the troubled spots but instead of moving to their new habitats, were still operating from transitional camps.

The revelation comes as hundreds of IDPs from Rurigi in Eldoret East District accused the government of taking too long to honour its promise of compensating and constructing houses for them.

The IDPs who included Mr Thuo Muchogu, Mr Zacharia Irungu and Ms Jane Wangoi, claimed the government was hesitant to construct houses for them, almost three years after they accepted to leave camps and erected tents on their farms.

Instead, they complained that the government gave priority to those who declined to leave the camps and those whose homes were along main roads to dupe the international community that it had resettled all the victims of the skirmishes.

They now want the government to supply them with new tents to save them from effects of adverse weather, as they await construction of the houses and Sh10,000, to enable them restart their shattered lives.

The victims said they were leading deplorable lives in tattered tents and the on-going rains had worsened the situation. They claimed their children risked contracting water borne and respiratory diseases due to stagnant water in their worn out tents and exposure to the cold nights.

The IDPs said most families were afraid of diseases like pneumonia and patients suffering from asthma were experiencing difficulties controlling the disease which worsens during the cold seasons of the year.

"Most tents are in bad shape because they have stayed for more than their life span of three months. Our families are exposed to the chilly weather. Some of us have to get polythene papers to seal leaking parts," said Mr Joseph Karika from Rurigi.

They claimed they were being forced to seek shelter elsewhere whenever it rained and lamented that relocating temporarily with their valuables and children was not easy.

"We are in dire need of tents as we wait for the government to fulfil its promise of constructing houses for us. The on-going rains are a blessing to our crops, but a misfortune to our lives," Mr Karika said.

They claimed officials from the Ministry of Special Programmes had assessed their condition and promised help before the long rains, but, they were yet to honour their pledge.

Whereas some IDPs have been assisted to construct houses on their farms, some are still staying in tents at transitional camps next to their farms while others put up tents on their farms, after the government promised to assist them later on.

Recently during her first visit in the region since being transferred to the ministry, minister Esther Murugi appealed for calm saying the government was committed to addressing their grievances.

She that the government had made substantial improvement in the housing programme and all those earmarked to benefit from the houses will eventually have their share.

The North Rift was the epicentre of the post poll violence that left 1,133 people dead and more than 350,000 others displaced following the disputed presidential results.