Trainer Tole Nyatta has recently conducted a mentoring session in the Rift Valley on resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). He came back to Internews offices with many story ideas and would like to share some of them with journalists:
Nakuru:
- The resettlement exercise of IDPs living in Giwa Farm in Nakuru - has been successful. People have resettled and have moved on with life. What have they done right that other camps have not done?
- Some IDPs have moved from Alko Farm in Nakuru to Kitale. What will happen to the piece of land they have left behind in Nakuru?
Kitale:
- IDPs resettled in Endebes, Kitale have been threatened by some locals. The locals were allocated 20 plots from the land the IDPs were to be resettled in. Currently, allegations are that they are claiming 40 more plots and tension is high in the area. Is it true? and if so, who is behind it?
- There have also been unconfirmed reports that some people from the Pokot community who neighbor the Endebes camp are planning a raid once people have settled down to evict them and would disguise it as cattle rustling. Is it true?
Embobut:
- Finally, the Government has said that they will resetlle IDPs in Embobut and Mau. What is the reality on the ground now? Are they committed? Has there been change and commitment on the ground?
General ideas:
- What is the government policy on the resettlement process? Is there a uniformed action plan? Is there consultation between the parties involved in the resettlement process i.e the Government, local leaders, residents, security apparatus and the displaced?
- Do the IDPs agree with being moved to a different location from where they have been used to? Do they have a different solution from the Government process?
- The definition of who is an IDP,and who is not,is a very interesting topic of research as many organisations and experts differ on it. Also: who is a genuine IDP? is there a way to verify?
Journalists who want to know more about these story ideas can engage with Trainer Nyatta on tnyatta@internews.org
Interested journalists can also apply for a travel grant to cover these stories. The "Land &Conflict Sensitive Journalism" program awards small grants to journalists to facilitate their travel from their station’s location to an area of the country they would not be able to reach.
