Kenya: ODM Tells the State to Evacuate the Displaced

Kenya: ODM Tells the State to Evacuate the Displaced

http://allafrica.com/stories/200801311204.html

The Nation (Nairobi)
1 February 2008Posted to the web 31 January 2008
Lucas BarasaNairobi

ODM has asked the Government to evacuate the displaced people stranded in Central province, Naivasha and Nakuru.
In a statement released at Orange House in Nairobi after the party's Parliamentary Group Meeting, ODM said thousands of people stranded in Nyahururu, Naivasha, Nakuru, Tigoni, Githurai, Kibera, Thika, Ruiru and Juja were at the mercy of security forces and criminal gangs.

The party therefore says the State should use military and NYS trucks to move those people to safer areas, as was done with those in other areas.
Taking sides
"In these areas police usually lead the way pretending to be keeping peace only to open corridors of murder," ODM secretary general Anyang Nyong'o said. Also present were party leader Raila Odinga and MPs Henry Kosgey and Omingo Magara.
More than 850 people have been killed and 300,000 displaced from their homes in attacks since the disputed re-election of President Kibaki in the December 27 elections.
In many hot spots, police have been accused of watching as attacks happened or taking sides in the conflict. In Nakuru, Naivasha and Eldoret, Kenya army officers have been deployed to quell the rioting.
ODM also questioned why schools in many areas had not been reopened saying the provincial administration should be used.
At loggerheads
The party which is at loggerheads with PNU over the outcome of last year's presidential election further demands that the Sh1 billion fund launched by President Kibaki on Wednesday be managed by a neutral body. This would ensure that the money is allocated fairly to all beneficiaries irrespective of political persuasion or ethnic origin.

The party is still of the view that Mr Odinga should address the ongoing African Union Summit in Ethiopia to explain the situation in the country. Prof Nyong'o was in Addis Ababa to push for the Kenyan crisis to be included in the meeting's agenda.
He says in recognition of the mediation process being spearheaded by former UN head Kofi Annan, the AU should have allowed Mr Odinga to address the Summit on behalf of ODM and Mr Kibaki (PNU).
Recognising Kibaki as Kenya's leader undermined the mediation process, said Prof Nyong'o.