The government has spent Sh6 billion to compensate 19,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) countrywide who were affected by 2008 post-election violence.
Another six billion shillings have been set aside to compensate the integrated IDPs.
While speaking in Mwiteithia, Subukia Sub County, the chairman of the National Consultative Steering Committee on IDPs issues Adan Wachu said the 19,000 are part of the 80 camps that were identified by government and compensated.
“The government bought land and settled some of them. Others were given 200,000 shillings each. As far as I know, the government has closed all IDP camps in the country. We are now on face two of compensating the integrated IDPs,” Wachu said on Saturday when he visited Mumui IDP camp.
He said that his committee is on the final touches of auditing the list of the integrated IDPs and urged them to be patient.
“We realised that there are some people who masqueraded as IDPs while others received both money and a piece of land from government. We want to avoid such mistakes and that is why we are cleaning the list of Integrated IDPs that was forwarded to us to ensure that only genuine IDPs are compensated,” Wachu added.
Meanwhile, the chairman said that his office is aware of some people who are inciting the IDPs to demand more money from the government saying the 200,000 shillings is not enough, and he is working with security agencies to apprehend them
“These are brokers. They are selfish people with ulterior motives. Don’t allow yourselves to be incited and conned by them. We have identified them and they will be arrested,” he told the IDPs.
On his part, the chairman of the IDP Network Patrick Githinji cautioned the IDPs to use wisely the money they receive as compensation from the government.
There is one who received 200,000 shillings but used the money unwisely. He ended up committing suicide by taking poison. This is not good at all. Be wise when investing that money,” Githinji said.