By Maureen Odiwuor

Kisumu, Kenya: More than 60 people have been displaced in Kisumu County following attacks immediately after the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the presidential election.

Carrying children on their backs, men and women sought refuge at the Kondele Police Station, an institution that also served as a temporary home to many during the 2007-2008 post-election violence.

Nyanza Provincial Police boss Joseph Oletito said there were 58 IDPs at the temporary camp.

They are comprised of 21 men, 16 women and 22 children.

“The Kenya Red Cross is handling the situation and there is a crisis meeting by the District Peace Committee going on at the moment,” he said.

The meeting, chaired by the County Commissioner Lornah Odero, is to come up with modalities on how to arrest the situation and ensure the IDPs return to their houses.

The IDPs kicked out of their homes by hooligans on Monday pondered their next move after spending a second night in the cold.

Heavy rain

They braved the heavy rain that pounded the area on Sunday night for more than three hours with Good Samaritans offering blankets and few mattresses to the children and elderly people.

The IDPs escaped from their homes and business premises when irate youths struck on Saturday evening and part of Sunday morning.

Ms Beatrice Chemetich, a bar owner in Kondele said she lost over close to Sh100,000 in the incident but said she cannot move out of Kisumu because she has stock and license for the premise.

Like other traders, Chemetich had opened her shop following assurance from the police that security had been beefed up in all parts of the county.

“When the announcement was made, my customers were the first ones to turn against me and were joined by other rowdy youths who looted my bar,” she recounted.

Their representative, Michael Mwangi, said those displaced were residents of Kondele, Manyatta and Carwash estates of Kisumu town.

“We expect the number to increase because there are those who hid in neighbours and friends houses now coming to join us,” he said.

Peter Chege, a resident of Corner Lego in Manyatta Estate said he is counting loses worth close to Sh0.5 million after his egg shop was looted.