An internally displaced person’s lobby group has urged the government to audit all parcels of land purchased by the former government for the resettlement of clash victims.
The land was meant to be allocated to squatters and violence victims since the 2008 skirmishes.
Kenya Internally Displaced Persons chairman Peter Tenna said several farms bought by the coalition government between 2008 and 2012 were still idle. He said that this is despite most of the victimis and potential beneficiaries still suffering in IDP camps.
Tenna said the squatters are currently living in slums and shanty villages in areas that have experienced tribal violence since 1992.
“In areas of Molo, Njoro and Kuresoi, many families were evicted from their farms in 1992. In 2008 they counted double tragedy after being swept by another wave of clashes. To alleviate their suffering, the government must come to their rescue by allocating them idle land which was bought by former President Mwai Kibaki’s government for their settlement,” said Tenna.
Addressing a meeting held at a hotel in Molo on Sunday, the lobby group says it wants the government to resettle the victims in all the lands earmarked for their settlement to enable them live decently.
Tenna said the victims suspect that the idle lands will be dished out to undeserving people in a similar manner that happened in 2009 where non-victims acquired land through dubious means.
He said after eight years, more IDPs are still languishing in poverty regardless of the government efforts to compensate them.
The increased number of squatters in different parts of rift valley is as the result of tribal clashes experienced in various places todate.
“In Baringo, Turkana and Pokot counties for example, communities are fighting over resources. If not checked, such heinous acts being witnessed in those areas might spread into other areas. Permanent land ownership will stop war over pasture and water among other resource conflicts,” he said.