State sued KSH1.4 billion as Compensation by 1,400 IDP’s

More than 1,400 Internally Displaced Persons from Nyandarua South district have allegedly gone to the High Court in Nakuru seeking compensation of close to Sh1 million each from the government. They have made claims that the government failed to integrate them among those who deserve to be compensated after the 2007/08 post- election violence. They have gone ahead to make a claim of 1.4 billion Kenya shillings from the government as funds meant for land, loss, pain and suffering that they’ve endured languishing all year round in the camps. In addition to that, they have also blamed the provincial administration for failing to forward their names to the Special Programmes ministry after they were profiled for compensation.

Representing the IDPs', lawyer George Kimani told Justice Roselyne Wendoh to order the government to pay Sh40,000 to each of the IDP and allocate them two acres of land each or compensate them with an equivalent amount of not less than KSh700,000. They are also seeking KSh250, 000 as compensation for each IDP as general damages for pain, loss and suffering. Inclusive in the loss are: livestock, houses, crops, granaries, personal effects and other property which they apparently lost during the eruption of the violence. Kimani also asked the court to expeditiously deal with the matter so as to alleviate the plight of the IDPs before the country gears up for the commencement of the next general elections. Wendoh directed them to serve their suit papers to the AG, the permanent secretaries in Special programmes and Internal Security ministries before a mentioned date on July 6th.