Economy

Court orders scrutiny of Sh6.5 billion IDP payout beneficiaries in Nakuru

idps

National IDPs Network in Nakuru on February 22, 2018 protesting the disbandment of the National Consultative and Coordination Committee. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYURO

The controversy surrounding pay of Sh6.5 billion compensation to internally displaced persons (IDPs) has taken a new twist after the High Court sitting in Nakuru ordered fresh vetting of the beneficiaries.

Justice Joel Ngugi on Tuesday directed the government and a group of displaced persons to meet and scrutinise the list of beneficiaries provided by the government — which some IDPs claim contains fake recipients.

“From documents before court it appears that what is being contested here is the list and not the policies involved. It will therefore be important that the parties meet and harmonise the two lists held by both parties,” ruled Justice Ngugi.

The displaced families were forced from their homes during the post-election violence that followed the December 2007 presidential election pitting Mwai Kibaki against Raila Odinga. Some 1,220 Kenyans were killed and more than 660,000 displaced when violence flared between supporters of rival presidential contenders after Mr Kibaki was declared winner.

The members of the Internally Displaced Persons Support Initiative filed the case in court in 2017 seeking the full list of beneficiaries of the Sh6.5 billion payout and the compensation process.

On Tuesday, the court was told that the group had compiled a list of 96,000 names of displaced families which did not benefit from the payout.

In an affidavit sworn by Stephen Mbogua, the IDPs claim that the list held by the ministry contains names of ministry officials and other interested parties who were listed as beneficiaries of the compensation funds.

Mr Mbogua further alleged that there was disparity in the payouts as some members received Sh400,000 while others got as low as Sh10,000.

The ministry however, through its lawyer, yesterday dismissed the claims saying that it had paid majority of the IDPS and that the process was still on course.

The lawyer also informed the court that the list submitted by the IDP group was erroneous as some names are duplicated.

The court directed the government to organise a meeting for the two parties to resolve the matter.

The case will be heard on July 30.