Northern Kenya

Nearly 14,000 IDPs moved from Garissa schools ahead of reopening

Displaced persons prepare to leave their temporary shelters at Hyuga Girls Primary School in Garissa County on May 12, 2024. (Photo: Issa Hussein/EV)

By Issa Hussein | Sunday, May 12, 2024

They say, however, that the new camp at the Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization in Galbet Ward, is overcrowded, lacks water and tents, and is unhygienic.

At least 13,700 internally displaced persons camping in Garissa County's schools were relocated on Sunday ahead of students' return for the second term on Monday.

Some of the IDPs from Garissa township and Tana River County sought shelter at the learning institutions after they were displaced by the overflow of the River Tana.

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Others were forcefully evicted by security officers deployed to ensure schools were vacated ahead of the reopening.

Aden Dika, an IDP, during an interview with The Eastleigh at Hyuga Girls Primary School in Garissa County on May 12, 2024. (Photo: Issa Hussein/EV)

Aden Dika, an IDP at Hyuga Girls Primary School, decried the relocation plan, saying he had nowhere to go.

"My house is still submerged. I occupied this classroom to wait until the floods subsided. I have no shelter and my wife is expectant. In two days, we will have the baby," he told The Eastleigh Voice.

Aden said two trucks were dispatched to move them to the new camp at the Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization in Galbet Ward of Garisss township.

"I have been resistant to the relocation plan since we are being moved to a camp with no water and tents," he said.

Maimuna Abdi, a mother of 5 children, said she was worried by the possibility that her family would sleep outside.

"I have no makeshift shelter to shield us from the sun during the day and the cold at night," she said while loading her belongings onto a truck at Hyuga Girls.

This combination picture shows an unidentified person (L) preparing to leave a camp at Hyuga Girls Primary School in Garissa, and Isnino Abdi (R) taking her belongings to a relative’s house in Bulla Power on May 12, 2024. (Photo: Issa Hussein/EV)

Several other IDPs who spoke to The Eastleigh Voice said the new camp was too small to accommodate them all and had no water or proper sanitation.

Hashim Ali, a youth representative who moved out of Jaribu Primary School, said the camp was overcrowded and insecure, lacked water and was unhygienic.

On Saturday, North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno said plans were underway to relocate all IDPs from schools to make room for learners to undertake their second-term studies.

Addressing the press after touring Hyuga Girls, which hosted at least 570 families, Otieno said that following a discussion with stakeholders, including the Kenya Red Cross Society, alternative camps were identified for the IDPs.

Accompanied by the security team and officials from the Red Cross and the Education ministry, he appealed to the IDPs to cooperate with authorities overseeing their relocation.

According to the Red Cross, 13,770 IDPs were living at Hyuga Girls, Jaribu Primary, Kazuko Girls Primary, the North Eastern National Polytechnic, and the Young Muslims Secondary School.

Garissa County Education Director Abdihamid Maalim Ali said Boul Argi Primary School in Garissa township and Kheir Primary in Dadaab Sub-county were still submerged by floodwaters, meaning the students would not return to school on Monday.