Rank: New-farer Joined: 5/25/2011 Posts: 5 Location: Nairobi
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Wendz wrote:4+ Billion resettlement of IDPs? I thought 2b had already been released to Lands Ministry to look for land ama? This one doesnt sound quite right but anyway..... You can read the article that follows at: http://www.facebook.com/...imates/176665492388719#!/note.php?note_id=159544937434108 Note that as at the posting of this article on Uhuru Kenyatta's official facebook Page, that is - March 14th 2011, the government has spent a total of Ksh 7.977 billion which Lands Minister Orengo claims not to have obtained and which he also used to buy land that eventually lead to contention from the surrounding communities. The statement is as follows: To date, the Government has, through the responsible line ministries, allocated Ksh7.977 billion (approximately US$100 million) towards the resettlement of IDPs. Also, as will be broken down below, in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 financial years, the Treasury released Ksh1.4 billion and Ksh1.5 billion respectively, a total of Ksh2.9 billion, to the Ministry of Lands to buy land.
In the 2007/08 financial year, the Government, through the Ministry of Special Programmes, allocatedKsh1.25 billion for mitigation and resettlement of IDPs. This money was for ex-gratia payment to IDPs (Ksh1 billion) and Ksh250 million for the establishment of a department to deal with the IDP matters. Each IDP household was entitled to Ksh10,000 as a start up fund, while each family whose house was destroyed was to be assisted with Ksh25,000 for reconstruction.
Further, in the 2008/09 financial year, the Government, through the Ministry of Special Programmes, allocated Ksh1.035 billion for mitigation and resettlement of IDPs – Ksh950 million as ex-gratia payment for IDPs and Ksh85 million for operations and maintenance by the concerned department.
In the 2009/10 financial year, the Government, through the ministries of Lands and Special Programmes, gave Ksh3.005 billion to buy land for resettlement and construction of IDP houses in Molo and Uasin Gishu. The Ministry of Lands received Ksh1.4 billion to buy land, while the Ministry of Special Programmes got the remaining Ksh1.605 billion – Ksh936.8 million for construction of IDP houses, Ksh640 million ex-gratia payment and Ksh28.3 million for operations and maintenance by the concerned department.
In the 2010/11 financial year, the Government, through the ministries of Lands and Special Programmes, allocated Ksh2.687 billion for IDP-related activities. Of this amount, the Ministry of Lands received Ksh1.5 billion to buy land for resettlement of IDPs. The Ministry of Special Programmes got the remaining Ksh1.187 billion – Ksh1.013 billion for construction of IDP houses in Molo and Uasin Gishu, Ksh148.2 million for IDP ex-gratia payment and Ksh25.9 million for operations and maintenance by the concerned department..
Of the 350,000 IDPs who had sought refuge in 118 camps, a vast majority have been resettled or returned to their farms, leaving 6,802 households (approx. 30,000 people) not yet settled. Currently, efforts are in top gear to seek land on which to settle them and for houses to be built for 2,593 families settled in Turkana District.
To resettle landless IDPs, 20,000 acres are required, which translates to three acres a household. Already, the Government, through the Ministry of Lands, has bought 4,055.3 acres at a cost of Ksh828,759,160 in Rongai, Molo, Kuresoi, Ol Kalou and Laikipia West and a total of 1,082 families so far settled.
For the construction of IDP houses, the Government allocated Ksh936.8 million in the 2009/10 financial year and Ksh1.013 billion in the 2010/11 fiscal year, totaling Ksh1.949 billion. As a result, tens of thousands of new houses have been built.
To pay ex-gratia payment to IDPs in form of Ksh10,000 start up fund and Ksh25,000 for reconstruction of destroyed houses, Ksh2.7382 billion has been allocated – Ksh1 billion in the 2007/08 financial year,Ksh950 million in 2008/09, Ksh640 million in 2009/10 and Ksh148.2 million in 2010/11.
The government, through the Ministry of Finance, is fully committed to continue to provide more resources until all IDPs have been resettled. Indeed, as a Government, we stand ready to provide in the revised budget an additional Ksh1.823,716,000 of which Ksh1 billion is for compensation of the people evicted from the Maasai Mau Forest and Sh823.716 million for ex-gratia for IDPs. By the end of the current financial year, therefore, the Government will have spent more than Ksh9.8 billion (US$122.5 million) on IDPs.
As is evident, the Ministry of Finance has played a crucial role and remains committed to play its part now and in the future until the last IDP has been resettled and has a place to call home.
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