Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, working in cooperation with our partner the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), is providing needed assistance to families displaced by the long-standing land dispute in the Mt. Elgon district of Western Kenya.
The long-standing dispute over land ownership has sparked violent clashes between two communities — the Soi and Ndorobo. The Soi clans have traditionally resided in the lowland areas of Mt. Elgon and are seeking the eviction of the Ndorobo who resided in highland areas of the mountain.
The violent dispute between the communities has affected about 11,000 families. Most families have been left extremely vulnerable, as their homes have been burned, food stocks destroyed and livestock and livelihoods threatened.
Some of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) have sought refuge in neighboring Kenyan districts; there are also reports that more than 6,000 people have fled into Uganda.
PDA and PCEA are providing basic humanitarian food and non-food relief items for about 3,000 families. The response includes maize, beans, "ujimix" and maize flour, shelter materials including roofing sheets and nails, blankets and some very basic utensils like cooking pots, cups and plates.
In addition to the basic humanitarian relief items, another element of the response is to lobby the government and other agencies involved in land matters to take seriously the land settlement issue in Mt. Elgon District by December 2007.
Activities to accomplish this include:
- Using media where necessary to lobby and advocate for peaceful coexistence among different communities living in different parts of the country, especially those living in areas that are prone to tribal clashes.
- Facilitating meetings between government officials concerned with land matters and the community leaders to look for a sustainable and agreeable way of land settlement in Mt Elgon District.
- Meeting with elders from the two communities to identify an amicable way of identifying and resolving disputes before they start affecting the communities in a bigger way.
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