IDPs in Isiolo camp accuse govt of discrimination

Over 400 internally displaced persons who fled their homes in the wake of the 2007/08 Post Election Violence (PEV) and sought refuge in Isiolo County are now accusing the government of discrimination in its resettlement process.

The victims, who ended up  in Isiolo where their relatives are said to reside, were offered some land Borana elders close to the Meru National Park where they were to clear the bushes and settle.

Led by the camp chairperson Mohamed Godana, the IDP’s lamented that no help has been forthcoming from either the national or the county government, claiming that reports about the Isiolo County Government building houses for them were untrue.

Godana said that the temporary shelters that the displaced families live in were not provided by anybody and they had to look for materials and set them up.

He further lamented that out of the 407 names that the camp presented to the Isiolo IDP office, only eighteen individuals received Ksh 10,000 each while victims from other camps were reported to have received up to Ksh 410,000 each as compensation.

He said that IDPs at the Nagele camp are still optimistic that they will receive their dues to enable them recover from the loss of property during the post poll chaos.

Garbatulla Deputy County Commissioner Kipchumba Ruto urged the victims to remain calm, promising to follow up the matter with the relevant authorities to ensure that they are treated the same way as their colleagues.

Report by Melita Tenges