6,000 post-election violence victims yet to get compensation years later

A group of integrated IDPs after handing over a petition to Naivasha sub-county Commissioner Isaac Masinde in February 2017. [File, Standard]

Close to two decades after the 2007/2008 post-election violence that left tens dead and hundreds displaced, about 6,000 victims are yet to be compensated or resettled despite a court directive.

The victims under the IDP Supportive Initiative (IDPSI) have now petitioned President William Ruto to intervene so that they can benefit from the Sh6 billion set aside for compensation.

This came as the victims from five counties affected by the 2007 post-election violence raised the alarm over some advocates who were swindling the IDPs with the promise of accessing the cash.

The group’s leader Stephen Mbugua, said the High Court in 2017 ordered the inclusion of 5,500 victims who had been locked out of the compensation list.

Addressing the Press in Naivasha, Mbugua said that the court orderd that the victims and government officials meet and plan on how they would be compensated.

“We met top government officers in 2018 and we were promised that we would be compensated as per the court’s directive but this has never materialised,” he said.

He recounted the suffering they had undergone, with some of the victims dying while seeking justice.

“During Ruto’s trial in ICC, we stood with him, and we are pleading with him to come to our rescue so that we can be compensated,” he said.

Grace Mogaka regretted that hundreds of learners who dropped out during the violence never went back to school.

Mogaka said the situation resulted in high levels of unemployment and suffering for the families that were never compensated or resettled by the State.

“Our only hope of compensation and resettlement lies with President Ruto and we hope that this can be achieved before we go to the elections,” she said.

Another leader Ronald Ngara from Uasin Gichu said that for years they had been relying on well-wishers for support in the hope that they could be compensated.

“We went to court after we were locked out of the original list and we won in 2017 but years down the line we are yet to be compensated,” he said.

Another victim Francis Michira from North Mugirango said that during the violence they lost all their personal effects and savings and are yet to recover.

“We are still traumatized by the violence which has been worsened by the failed compensation and we pray and hope the President will hear us,” he said.