Terror IDPs in Lamu decry government’s neglect

The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Lamu County have decried being neglected by the government.

For more than three months, the IDPs have been staying at Juhudi Primary School after they fled their rural homes due to increased cases of terror attacks by the al Shabaab militants in the region.

At least 200 families are still pitching camp at the school in Lamu West with others reported to have migrated to urban centres where they are temporarily living.

Families affected by the terror attacks are those from Juhudi, Salama, Widho, Mashogoni, Marafa, Ukumbi, Nyatha, Mavuno, Poromoko, Kausara, and surrounding areas.

Between June and August this year, Lamu witnessed a series of terrorist attacks that have left a total of eight people, including the wife of Hindi ward MCA James Njaaga, having been killed by suspected al Shabaab militants.

This resulted in many families running to the camp for fear of being targeted by the Somalia-based militia group.

Speaking to the Star on Tuesday, however, the families at the camp complained that despite numerous calls for the national government to establish security camps in their villages to enable them to vacate the camp, nothing has so far materialised.

Peter Muthengi of Salama village questioned why the government was taking forever to erect either a police or Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) camp in their village.

“We are now stranded at the camp. We don’t know where our fate lies. Until when are we going to live in this camp at a time of harvesting like this? Our crops continue to be destroyed by wildlife in our villages but we can’t go back," Muthengi said.

"We fear the enemy is still around. Let the government establish security camps to enable us to get confidence to return to our rural homes and live.”

Mary Wanjiru, a resident of Juhudi, said for the past three months, she has been spending nights at the school and going back home during the day.  

She said the daily movements are tiresome and called for a permanent solution on the part of the government.

“They promised to establish a police camp between Juhudi and Salama which is a common route used by terrorists to attack our villages. We only saw an excavator that came to clear the bushes within the Juhudi-Salama area and left," Wanjiru said.

"Since then, we haven’t seen any further steps taken, including deploying security officers in the area. We can’t go back to those insecure villages. We shall camp here until the time the state will implement the proposal to establish security camps at the grassroots.”

Simon Kariuki, a displaced person expressed worry about diseases outbreak at the camp since toilets at the institution are in a deplorable state.

“We don’t have mosquito nets here. The school’s toilets here are made of mud and are in a bad state. They’re few and some of us are forced to relieve ourselves in the bushes around. We fear a disease outbreak here and we need urgent assistance,” Kariuki said.

Lamu West Deputy County Commissioner, Gabriel Kioni insisted on the need for the IDP families at Juhudi Primary to dissolve the camp and go back to their homes.

Kioni said the government has done all it takes to secure their villages.

“Processes are on to establish a Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) camp within the Juhudi-Salama area. In the meantime, the government has intensified security patrols in the affected villages," Kioni said.

"I can assure the citizens that their security is guaranteed. So, let them vacate the camp and go back to their homes. It’s harvesting period and they need to go and check their shambas."