OPERATION RUDI NYUMBANI: KENYA’S FIRST STEP IN RECOVERY

On Monday, Kenya launched its first recovery stage, which is called Operation Rudi Nyumbani. Operation Rudi Nyumbani a.k.a. Operation Return Home is an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) resettlement, which authorized all refugees to return back to their homes after the post-election crisis. After the signing of the power-sharing agreement in February, both sides agreed that Kalenjin and Kikuyu ethnic groups must live in peace and harmony in order for Kenya to prosper.

During that Monday morning, buses and military trucks first headed to the Rift Valley to load thousands of refugees. Soldiers and police officers were sent as guard transporters to ensure that all IDPs were sent back to their homes with tight security. In addition, church leaders were sent as mediators. As a result, about 6,000 were returned back to Molo and 3,855 were taken back to Trans Nzola District.

Some survivors were thrilled to return home due to their horrible experience in the wet camps. Some stated that the wet camps were like prison. According to BBC News, Mary Wanbui, a Kenyan mother of five, quoted, "Look around this place, there are no toilets, bathrooms or anything else. it's been unbearable. For the last four months, we had to deal with crime, spread of diseases, and starvation.“

Although survivors are now authorized to return home, many people are still frustrated. Some people are returning back home to nothing. Others refused to leave the wet camps unless the government enforces improved security and compensation for all their losses. Unemployment and housing is the biggest loss for many survivors. Since the election crisis weakened the economy, Kenya now faces economic turmoil. Some of the top industries have suffered from high inflation and lost many workers. Many workers have went on strike and filed lawsuits. In terms of land property, homes or roof tops were burned down from repeated attacks. Homelessness has skyrocketed in rural areas. Many people are still reluctant from living with those people that have robbed them from their property, which had taken them generations to put together. Legislators now question on whether the government should rush the victims back to their homes is the most appropiate decision. Before returning home, the government should first listen to the grievances of those who were evicted. One victim quoted, “How can you go back to the same piece of land where your house was razed to the ground, your children hacked to death and your crops destroyed. Can you live in harmony with the very neighbours who destroyed your life?”