Mystery of 162 IDP houses that have stalled in Turkana since 2015

Mike Emoru narrates the challenges internally displaced persons experience due to the stalling of 162 houses that were being constructed for IDP's at Kainuk area in Turkana County. 19-12-2018. [PHOTO: KEVIN TUNOI]

Construction of 162 housing units for families displaced during the 2007 post-election violence has stalled.

The contractor has abandoned the multi-million-shilling project under unclear circumstances.

The national government started constructing the houses in Kainuk, Turkana South, in 2013.

Construction works were abandoned two years later as the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) continue living in deplorable conditions.

The IDPs, who are still living in make-shift structures adjacent to the stalled housing project, accused the Government of neglecting them.

In February 2016, the Government directed that all IDP camps in the country be closed after billions were released to conclude resettlement of those who were displace.

Part of the money was to be wired to bank accounts of 5,261 families displaced during the violence.

The violence erupted following bungling of the presidential election where Raila Odinga of ODM claimed his victory had been stolen by Mwai Kibaki of PNU.

Turkana South IDPs, led by their chairman Simon Lobuka, lamented they were promised Sh400,000 each aside from being resettled but none of them has been paid.

Lobuka said failure to resettle them had exposed them to banditry attacks along the Turkana-West Pokot border and waterborne diseases due to floods.

“We were only paid Sh10,000 before the State embarked on construction of the 162 houses. The Government used to supply us with relief food but this has since stopped,” said Lobuka.

Some of the houses had been built up to the lintel while others have been roofed even though their walls have collapsed due to last year's heavy rains.

"There are no toilets here. Some of the IDPs are relieving themselves in the abandoned houses and the nearby bushes. The area is infested with snakes. Frequent cattle rustling and banditry attacks have made life hard for us,” said Mr Lobuka.

Sources said the project had already gobbled up Sh150 million.

County commissioner Seif Matata said: “The issue of IDPs were concluded a long time ago. This project was not done by the county but at the national level."

By 2016, the State had compensated and resettled 20,170 out of 28,924 families listed as IDPs. Sh17.5 billion was spent on the exercise.