Over 500 families displaced, homes torched in Marsabit due to ethnic violence
Murkomen said 528 families have been affected, with 135 homes burned or vandalised, and 267 people are in urgent need of resettlement.
Over 500 families have been displaced in Marsabit County due to ethnic and socio-political violence, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has told the Senate.
Speaking on Wednesday, Murkomen said 528 families have been affected, with 135 homes burned or vandalised, and 267 people are in urgent need of resettlement.
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According to the CS, the most affected areas include Jirime, Milima Tatu, Mata Arba, Qilta, Dirib/Dokato, Jaldesa and Badasa.
Murkomen was responding to concerns raised by Marsabit Senator Mohamed Chute regarding the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Marsabit town. He attributed the displacement to ethnic and socio-political violence that has persisted between 2017 and 2022.
“On record, we have 528 households whose houses were vandalised and 135 houses burned,” Murkomen said.
The CS was also asked about the government’s plans and timelines for resettling the IDPs and the measures put in place to ensure their safety and well-being. He assured the Senate that the government has been distributing relief food to the affected households.
On compensation and resettlement, Murkomen revealed that most displaced individuals have returned to their original Manyattas, which include Manyatta Daaba, Sales Wako, Konso Banchale, Isackon Umuro and Gabra Scheme.
To enhance security in the affected areas, the CS noted that police posts have been established.
“Saku CDF has put up a police post at Manyatta Daaba awaiting deployment of security officers,” he said.
Additionally, he noted that National Police Reservists have been deployed to identified hotspots, peace dialogues have been conducted across the county, and peace structures and committees are operational.
Murkomen also highlighted increased intelligence gathering and frequent public barazas as measures to uphold law and order.
On the issue of compensation, the CS admitted that the government has not yet allocated funds for direct compensation of the displaced persons. However, he assured that the County Resettlement Committee is actively engaging IDPs to facilitate their voluntary return to their manyattas.
While financial compensation remains uncertain, Murkomen pledged that the government would continue providing essential support, including food and non-food items, to those returning home.
“The government commits to ensuring that upon return of the displaced persons, adequate provision is made to provide them with food and non-food items,” he said.
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