Don’t turn down Sh210,000 compensation, IDPs told

Internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) national officials have told off politicians who are inciting IDPs not to accept the Sh210,000 that the government is paying them as compensation.

The officials led by national chairman Mr Patrick Githinji and coordinator Ms Margaret Gathoni asked integrated IDPs to take the Sh210,000, and took issue with political leaders for telling the IDPs to demand Sh425,000 as compensation.

In a meeting held at Kapsabet showground and attended by more than 3,000 IDPs, Margaret asked politicians to stop using the IDPs to gain political mileage, adding that IDPs have already agreed to take home the Sh210,000 set figure.

James Mwaura, who is the IDP coordinator Nyadarua County, urged the government to immediately release the funds and resettle all integrated IDPs as soon as possible.

“I request the government to act swiftly and address issues affecting IDPs. We appreciate that the government has made considerable efforts in compensating the IDPs but more still needs to be done. The government made us many promises and we expect that they will fulfil these promises as soon as possible,” said Mwaura.

Speaking at the meeting, Pastor Maina, a local religious leader, expressed confidence with the resettlement process, adding that they have spent nine years waiting but no action had been taken by the government.

Maina also requested the government to consider several squatters living in Nandi County.

Ms Gathoni lamented that women suffered at the height of the 2007/2008 post election violence that rocked the country.

She added that it was high time associations stopped using demonstrations as a means of addressing grievances.