www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]

Gucha IDPs support calls for protests

Details

Published on Saturday, 05 November 2011 18:10

Internally Displaced Persons in Gucha have backed calls for nationwide demos by a civil society consortium to push for the resettlement of all internal refugees.

Last week, the lobby group issued a two-week ultimatum to the Government to resettle all IDPs and vowed to mobilise them to carry out countrywide demonstrations if no action was taken.

Addressing the Press in Ogembo town, representatives of Gucha Integrated IDPs and Men for Gender Equality said they would back the demos when called upon.

Lost property

"Since our members were displaced in 2008, we only received four kilogrammes of maize and some farm inputs. Where is the Sh35,000 other IDPs received? We are staying in people’s homes and our lives remain shattered," said their chairman Robert Onsoti.

The IDPs numbering more than 2,000 include those displaced in tribal clashes in 1992, 1997 and 2007.

"We have written to the ministries of Finance and Special Programmes but no response is forthcoming. Funds for resettlement are lying in banks as we languish in poverty," said Wilfred Orina Isaboke.

They urged the Government to treat IDPs equally and resettle them as soon as possible.

Morumbwa Onsongo, 78, said he lost his two children and property in Molo in 2008, but is yet to receive anything from the Government.

"The Government should account for billions of shillings already disbursed for IDP resettlement. We do not know who the beneficiaries of operation Rudi Nyumbani are," said Elijah Sikona of Trusted Society of Human Rights Alliance.