Govt. urged to compensate IDPs without biasness
The national government has been urged to compensate all victims of the 2007 post election violence in Western, Nyanza and parts of North Rift regions.
Speaking to www.westfm.co.ke the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Chairperson in charge of Likuyani, Lugari and Turbo Sub Counties, Mr.George Njoroge expressed his disappointment over the manner in which the government has handled the IDPs compensation issue, accusing it of focusing much on certain regions while neglecting other deserving cases.
“It is sad to note individuals who were displaced from lands and homes in western, Nyanza and north rift regions have never been compensated compared to their counterparts in central and south rift,” observed Njoroge.
“Yet just like their counterparts, IDPs from these regions, besides losing loved ones, property worth millions of shillings belonging to them also went up in flames,” added the agitated chair.
The official wants the Jubilee government to treat all post election violence victims equally without bias, “because all of them are experiencing the same kind of difficult living, regardless of the regions they come from,” he emphasized.
Njoroge cited over 5,000 IDPs who sort refuge at Turbo, Panpaper and Likuyani camps as examples of those the government was yet to reach and compensate.
According to the chairman, the IDPs in the said camps have threatened to hold peaceful demonstrations in the event the government fails to address their plight.
“I am calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy, William Ruto, to urgently intervene and address this matter and save these IDPs from double anguish of displacement and neglect,” appealed Njoroge.
Njoroge hailed the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its decision to terminate cases that were facing six Kenyans, the president and his deputy being among them.
He, however, castigated the manner, in which the ICC Victims Participation and Reparation Section (VPRS) and prosecution gathered its evidence, saying it was weak and therefore below the threshold of sustaining competent trial against any of the suspects.
“In the end it was the post election violence victims who were denied justice but we blame the prosecution and RPVS for the collapse of the case,” observed Njoroge
The chairman also cautioned those pushing for the country’s removal from the Rome Statute saying it was a move that would be regretted in future. “The move will open a window for future lawlessness between communities, and especially during electioneering seasons,” warned Njoroge.
He said instead of pulling out of the Rome statute, Kenya would have called for support from members states and pushed for reformation of the ICC that will serve them better.
On cases affecting journalist Walter Barasa and lawyer Paul Gicheru and Philip Kipkoech who are accused by the ICC for interfering with witnesses, Njoroge said ICC had totally failed in its obligations and therefore it should leave the three to be charged locally.
