IDPs dumped in Nakuru under unclear circumstances

Over 40 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are part of more than 100 IDPs who had been camping outside National Assembly Buildings in Nairobi are stranded in Nakuru town after they were ferried from Nairobi under unclear motives Tuesday night.

The IDPs were transported to Nakuru in two mini buses and dropped outside a hotel in the Nakuru central business district at 2.00am.

The two mini buses are yet to be traced, with reports indicating that they were driven off immediately after dropping the IDPs.

Several items belonging to the IDPs among them shoes, clothes and identification documents were left in the two vehicles.

Addressing the media, the IDPs led by their chairman Richard Kimungui said they left Nakuru CBD shortly after 11.30pm having been rounded up by armed youths who informed them that they had been sent “by the government” in order to stop them from causing embarrassment outside the National Assembly in Nairobi.

“We were surrounded by over 50 people who ordered us to enter the waiting mini buses,” he said.

The chairman said that by the time the youths descended on them they were 82 in number but some of the IDPs scampered for safety immediately the commotion erupted, leaving only 40 of them behind.

The IDPs are among more than 534 families that sought refuge in Uganda during the 2007-2008 post poll skirmishes.

They returned to Kenya in May last year after the government assured them of security and humanitarian support.

The IDPs have accused the government of neglecting them, despite having convinced them to return to Kenya where they would be offered assistance just like the other IDPs.

Simon Wanyama, one of the IDPs, said that they were subjected to humiliation and insult even from western Kenya MPs where they fled in 2007. “We camped outside parliament buildings so that our MPs can hear our plea,” he said.

At the Kenya Red Cross regional offices in Nakuru, the IDPs received counselling and first aid for their bruises.

The Red Cross Centre Manager James Gichimu said that they would give food to the victims before consulting further on what to do.