Hundreds of Shifta War squatters in Lamu have asked the county and national governments to resettled them before before the election, or else they head to court.
Thousands were displaced from their homes during the Shifta War in the 1960s, with Lamu East being the worst hit.
Areas such as Kiunga, Ishakani, Mvundeni,Rubu, Sendeni and Ashuwei were left desolate and people fled to other seemingly peaceful parts of Lamu.
In 1964 the government directed the dissolution of Ishakani, Kiunga, Mwambore Rubu, Simambaye and Bodhei villages following a spate of attacks from alleged Shifta militants.
Residents were forced to find alternative settlements rendering majority of them as Internally Displaced Persons.
The spokesperson of the Shifta victims of Lamu, Mohamed Mbwana, said many of them are squatting on people’s lands, while many others had died waiting for the elusive justice.
Over the years,the squatters have been seeking to be resettled and be compensated by the state for to no avail.
Mbwana, however, said they are still hopeful that once tabled, the TJRC report will enable them get the long-awaited justice.
There have been questions why the government has been reluctant to make public the findings of the report or have the recommendations, which include compensation, implemented.
He said they are giving the national government up to August this year to not only make the TJRC report public, but also have them resettled failure to which they will head to court to push for the same.
“We have been squatters for 55 years and still counting. All we want is justice which lies in the TJRC report," Mbwana said.
"We want to be resettled and compensated for all the trouble. If that doesn’t happen before August, we go to court.”
Mbwana said just like the post-election violence IDPs of 2007/08 who were paid cash and resettled, they too deserve the same treatment, adding that no IDP is more special than the other.
“We are actually the first batch of IDPs Kenya ever had and I feel we are more deserving of any compensation than any other group that comes after us. The government must stop ignoring us," Mbwana added.
They also want the government to help reclaim their land rights which they lost once they fled their villages during the war.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
