By MAUREEN ODIWUOR
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nyanza will not be allocated land like their counterparts in other areas, the National Humanitarian Advisory Board Chairman, Moses Akaranga has said.
He said they had come to that conclusion after meetingIDP officials and top Government officials on their plight.
Akaranga said the IDPs living in camps had contributed money from self-help groups they formed after receiving compensation and were in the process of purchasing a small piece of land, which prompted the government boost them.
He however revealed genuine IDP’s who were profiled would receive Sh10 000 start-up and Sh25 000 for business owners.
Akaranga said this after a meeting attended by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Special Programmes, Mr Andrew Mondo at the Provincial Commissioner’s office in Kisumu where the IDPs tabled their grievances.
compensation
This came as a result of a recent demonstration by more than 100 IDPs who complained of marginalisation and lack of compensation by the Government.
The IDPs through the Nyanza Region Network chairman Nelson Owegi said the Government had forgotten them after they were integrated into the local community unlike IDPs from other areas who were allocated land.
Owegi said most of them were putting up with relatives and friends.
“We have waited for the government to allocate us land in accordance with a letter from the Permanent Secretary, Provincial Administration and Internal Security dated March 12,” he said.
The letter indicated there was a plan by the Government to allocate IDPs and Forest Evictees parcels of land whose value did not exceed Sh450,000.
Responding to the claims, the then Kisumu East Acting DC Mabeya Mogaka said those not compensated were profiled IDPs who never went for their share of cash and the money was returned at the end of the financial year.
“Sh7 million was returned to the Ministry of Special Programmes and another list for those affected was taken to Nairobi, “he said.
