New Canaan IDPs camp in Nakuru. Most of the IDPs in the region have not been fully compensated. [Photo|Tupo]
The Kenya National Internally Displaced Persons Network patron Peter Tena has conceded that government’s program to resettle affected persons had been infiltrated by corrupt elements and brokers.
Tena stated that the government had done its part by setting aside over Sh25 billion in a compensation budget towards bringing to a closure the decade-old IDP saga, but wayward individuals and powerful cartels had interfered with the process.
Addressing a press conference in Nakuru today, Tena alleged that some victims in Nakuru and Eldoret were compensated between Sh10,000 and Sh50,000 after well-connected cartels embezzled funds meant for the resettlement programme.
“All Internally Displaced Persons have not been resettled as some have claimed. And I am appealing to the President to ensure that all the remaining IDP cases are fast-tracked to provide respite to some 1,000 IDPs in Nakuru that live in squalor,” said Tena.
“Resolving the crisis has been complicated by the fact that no one had an accurate data on the victims, enabling the creation of corrupt schemes to fleece the taxpayer, in funding a compensation programme which is now in its 11th year,” he added.
However, the Resettlement Committee Chief Executive Patrick Njagi has indicated that officially, there would be a no more budgetary allocation for the victims.
“Sh1.9 billion was given in the Supplementary Budget is the last and it is enough to take care of the remaining batch of integrated IDPs in the last 14 counties,” said Njagi.
In Nakuru and Eldoret, the patron said he remains aware of fake IDPs that were either being enjoined to the dozens of cases in court seeking compensation for the victims or to be part of the names awaiting restitution from the government.