Mawingu IDPs tell off Mututho over resettlement

By Antony Gitonga

Over 1,000 IDPs from Mawingu camp Wednesday held a demonstration against Naivasha MP John Mututho accusing him of meddling with their resettlement.

The irate IDPs burnt an effigy of Mututho whom they accused of using IDPs to front his political ambitions.

Drama started when the IDPs, carrying twigs and placards took to the Gilgil-Nyahururu road paralysing traffic flow. Armed police officers watched from a distance as the demonstrators screamed and danced blaming Mututho for their woes.

The camp leader, Peter Kariuki wondered what interest the MP had in their resettlement and told him to keep off.

Kariuki who has been engaging Mututho in a war of words, said he would sue the MP for defamation.

"The MP has turned out to be a land broker at the expense of IDPs and we wonder where he has been for the last four years we have been suffering in camps," said Kariuki.

Kariuki said he had been promised Sh20m to approve land in Mumui, Subukia for Mawingu IDPs but rejected it because it was not arable and not safe. They said they were ready to go to Weumererie in Laikipia instead.

His sentiments, were echoed by Ms Rahab Muthoni, who vowed that they would not go to the Mumui farm. She defended the camp leader against accusations of stealing from them and challenged Mututho to prove his allegations.

Mututho called for the arrest of Kariuki for enriching himself as IDPs suffered in camps.