IDPs in Kisii, Nyamira ask Senate to probe 'theft' of compensation funds
Elijah Sikona, chairman of the Trusted Society of Human rights Awareness, briefs the media outside Parliament buildings on September 11, 2020, after delivering a petition to the Senate on lack of compensation for some victims of the 2007/8 post-poll violence.
What you need to know:
- The 1,089 IDPs of the 2007/2008 post-election violence reckon the government has been selective in the payment of Sh828 million released in 2017.
- According to the Auditor General’s report of 2019, over Sh2 billion was lost during the process of IDP compensation.
- The AG established that the National Consultative Coordination Committee failed to authenticate or justify the payout to the IDPs.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kisii and Nyamira counties want the Senate to investigate the alleged theft of millions of shillings meant for their compensation.
The 1,089 IDPs of the 2007/2008 post-election violence reckon the government has been selective in the payment of Sh828 million released in 2017.
Through their lobby, the Trusted Society of Human rights Awareness, the IDPs have petitioned the Senate to investigate and recommend the matter to the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) and the Director of Criminal Investigations.
“We feel the government has not been fair to Kisii and Nyamira IDPs in the payment of compensation to help them start life afresh,” said the lobby’s chairman, Elijah Sikona.
Each of the 20,000 IDPs registered in Kisii and Nyamira was meant to get Sh200,000 but some got only Sh55,000 while others did not receive any money.
“Compensation began in 2008 but has since been hijacked by self-seekers and politicians who, instead of using genuine IDPs, choose to work with imposters who then share the compensation with them,” read the petition.
Official report
According to the Auditor General’s report of 2019, over Sh2 billion was lost during the process of IDP compensation.
The AG established that the National Consultative Coordination Committee failed to authenticate or justify the payout to the IDPs.
“Our main concern is the whereabouts of the remaining Sh150,000 which was withheld from the IDPs,” read the petition.
The lobby also wants the Senate to look into the “skewed and biased treatment of IDPs from Central and Rift Valley who received up to a tune of Sh400, 000 each”.
The IDPs want nothing less than full payment of their compensation through the Ministry of Devolution.
Additionally, they want the Senate to summon Cabinet secretaries in the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination to explain how far it has gone with the compensation process.
