1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Kenya

Resettlement of IDPs begins in Rift Valley

A view of the Eldoret IDP camp, April 2008. The camp hosts over 14,000 people displaced during the post election violence in Kenya.
In the Rift Valley, hardest-hit by the violence, more than 100,000 people remain in IDP camps, unable to return home due t Manoocher Deghati/IRIN

The resettlement of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) began on 5 May in Kenya's Rift Valley Province under a government campaign dubbed "Operation Rudi Nyumbani" (go back home).

"The operation kicked off well; it was launched in Kachibora in Cherangany and also in Molo [all in the Rift Valley]," Eric Kiraithe, the police spokesman, told IRIN on 5 May. "The military was on hand to transport those who were willing to go home."

Kiraithe said the police were ensuring that all IDPs returning home were protected. He said the initial phase of the resettlement programme was expected to last about a month.

Ali Mohammed, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Special Programmes, launched the resettlement programme in Cherangany.

However, many IDPs were reluctant to return home despite assurances by government officials that security had been boosted.

In a statement, spokesman Alfred Mutua said the government was committed to resettling all IDPs who had fled their homes after post-election violence in parts of the country in January and February.

"The government expects the momentum of the exercise to increase as days go by," Mutua said.

At least 1,200 people died and up to 350,000 were displaced when violence erupted in parts of the country, mostly in Rift Valley and Nyanza provinces, following the announcement of the outcome of presidential elections held on 27 December.

js/mw


This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Get the day’s top headlines in your inbox every morning

Starting at just $5 a month, you can become a member of The New Humanitarian and receive our premium newsletter, DAWNS Digest.

DAWNS Digest has been the trusted essential morning read for global aid and foreign policy professionals for more than 10 years.

Government, media, global governance organisations, NGOs, academics, and more subscribe to DAWNS to receive the day’s top global headlines of news and analysis in their inboxes every weekday morning.

It’s the perfect way to start your day.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian today and you’ll automatically be subscribed to DAWNS Digest – free of charge.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join