Posted Saturday, April 14 2012 at 22:30
The Ministry of Special Programmes has finally resettled the first batch of Mau forest evictees three years after they were flashed out of the water tower.
The 240 evictees were given alternative settlement at Chemusian Farm, Kipkabus in Eldoret East District. Minister for Special Progammes Esther Murugi, who presided over the exercise, said that the government would speed up the countrywide process of settling IDPs and forest evictees.
“Although there have been a myriad challenges in trying to settle them, we are happy with the progress. We are almost through with the settling of IDPs but the first batch of forest evictees has been settled today. We are in the process of identifying chunks of land to settle the others,” said Ms Murugi.
The minister said that identification of land has been the major impediment to the exercise. She also added social and political challenges had led to some landless people facing hostile reception from the host communities.
“Land owners have consistently hiked land prices therefore making it difficult to work within our budget. Some of the displaced people also faced hostilities from a number of host communities,” she added.
The permanent Secretary for Special Programmes, Mr Andrew Mondoh, said the government evicted 5,710 households residing in four gazetted forests.
The PS added that it had managed to settle evictees from Chepyuk forest in Mount Elgon.
“We have forest evictees from Embobut in Marawet, Mau, Tinderet in Trans Nzoia and Kieni Forest in Gatundu. The Government continues to identify suitable land for resettlement with a view to ensuring that all forest evictees have been resettled as soon as possible,” said Mr Mondoh.
The permanent secretary added that there are 2,000 internally displaced persons that are yet to be resettled, adding that the ministry had received Sh4.4 billion and has so far used Sh3.3 billion towards the resettlement exercise.
Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Osman Warfa urged the local communities to interograte well and enhance peace to spur development in the area. He cautioned politicians against inciting the local residents warning that those who do would be dealt with.
“The local community should integrate and harmonise well with the evictees to ensure peace prevails at all time. The provincial administration will deal with politicians trying to incite the local residents,” said the PC.
The Special Programmes ministry provided more than 300 tents, beans, maize, foodstuffs and promised to provide them with seeds and fertiliser to enable them prepare for the planting season.
Meanwhile, internally displaced persons living in Naka camp in Eldoret on Saturday held demonstrations to protest the alleged sale of relief food by some of the officials in the camp.
The IDPs claimed that the chairman of the camp has been colluding with his officials to sell off maize, beans and cooking oil. The IDPs intercepted a consignment of more than 100 bags of maize that was being packaged ready for sale at Langas.
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