Mau evictees to get supplies this week

By GEORGE SAYAGIE, Posted Monday, December 7 2009 at 22:00 The money raised by ministers and MPs in Nairobi a fortnight ago to help Mau forest evictees will be given out starting this week. This announcement was made as the humanitarian crisis in their makeshift structures escalates. The convener of the fundraising, Kuresoi Member of Parliament Zakayo Cheruiyot, said the distribution of the more than Sh5 million will start on Wednesday after a meeting slated for the same day to determine what will be bought for each family. Mr Cheruyiot said the money raised at the fundraiser presided by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was meant to buy basic needs for families living in nine camps in Kuresoi District. “We are meeting on Wednesday to draw out a comprehensive plan on what to buy and how to transport it to the affected families,” he said. The meeting will be attended by some Rift Valley MPs and other stakeholders at a yet to be disclosed venue in Nairobi. He said data on the affected families was being collected for proper budgeting but the number had shot up beyond what was expected. Mr Cheruiyot said discrepancies over the number of victims in the camps had delayed the disbursement. MPs had ordered for a fresh head count. He said the number they earlier received from government was about 2,000 families but on the ground the number was 10,300 families. The evictees feel the aid is taking too long to rescue them out of the humanitarian crisis they are facing in camps. They say government and Red Cross assistance is not enough. …