Who are IDPs?
Nov 18, 2009 at 4:30 AM

We have had many people coming into camps in open spaces and then calling themselves Internally Displaced People. And I have looked at how our government has handled this issue with dismay.

Recently, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta bought his own land using government money for a few Kikuyus who were claiming to be IDPs. As this was being done, we know that there were many Kenyans, not just Kikuyus who were displaced.

Again, recently, the President went to a place Kikuyus christianed Kiambaa, in the heart of Rift Valley to bury Kikuyus who were killed in the skirmishes of last year. Again, many Kenyans were killed in the clashes and the President was never available to attend their burials.

Now, who are these IDPs who seem to be more special than all other Kenyans who were affected?

Mr. Orinda Ndege lost his 2 wives and 9 children when his house was burnt in Naivasha. Do we have any one else who suffered more than this man in Kenya? And has the government made any single effort to help him?

We are living a lie. Kikuyus in power are pretending that there were no other Kenyans who were affected. And Raila Odinga and his Luo team of MPs are behaving as if Orinda Ndege deserves no help.

When Uhuru uses government money to buy his own land for Kikuyus who are pretending to be IDPs, where are our leaders? From Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley, Nairobi, Eastern, North Eastern and Coast? Are IDPs only from Central Province.

We are living a lie, and our leaders have been compromised to pretend that IDPs were only Kikuyus.

Kamau J Njuguna