Thousands of Kenyans returned home on Monday under a government programme to resettle families displaced by the violence that followed elections at the end of last year.
An initial batch of several hundred left camps in several Rift Valley towns back to the countryside under police and army escort. Others whose homes were destroyed remained behind.
”The government is committed to the resettlement of all internally displaced Kenyans and the right of any Kenyan to settle and own property, own land, work and visit any part of this country regardless of where one was born or one’s ethnic background,” government spokesperson Alfred Mutua said in a statement.
The effectiveness of the first resettlement programme, which was dubbed ”Operation Return Home” and targets an initial 8 000 people, will be assessed by the end of the week.
”The government expects the momentum of the exercise to increase as days go by,” Mutua added.
Although police vowed to boost security, many remained reluctant to return home owing to simmering ethnic tensions.
The violence broke out following December 27 elections, which then-opposition candidate Raila Odinga claimed were rigged by incumbent president Mwai Kibaki.
The unprecedented crisis left at least 1 500 people dead and displaced about 300 000.
Some have since returned to their homes but others have continued to face attacks and intimidation, even after the February 28 political deal that saw Odinga join a coalition Cabinet and become prime minister.
”We are there on the ground to ensure that everybody who wants to return home is protected,” police spokesperson Eric Kiraithe said. — AFP
