3.2. Government Responses and Coordination

The Government of Kenya’s ministry of state for special programs, which we call it as MoSSP, the Ministry of State for Special Programs and this particular ministry’s mission is to provide the leadership in the development of risk reduction measures and disaster management, within Kenya. And this has looked at the oversea of the IDP, International displaced persons and the resettlement process.

The Government of Kenya has a specific ministry, known as the Ministry of State for Special Programs (MoSSP), dedicated to disaster management and risk reduction. This ministry's key role is to oversee programs aimed at helping internally displaced persons (IDPs) who may have lost their homes because of disasters, like political violence in Kenya. It works on the development of strategies to prevent disasters and manage their effects.

Think of this ministry as a fire department, which not only responds to fires after they happen (disaster management) but also runs campaigns to prevent fires (risk reduction measures). Just like a fire department trains people to use fire extinguishers, the MoSSP trains communities on how to manage and prepare for disasters.

So, UNHCR have also supported that the KRCS which is the Kenyan Government Agency, which has been constituted to provide the resettlement program and they have given some kind of support. So, Kenyan Government have thought that they are self-sufficient to manage this resettlement process but still there has been some support from the UNHCR.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) supports the Kenyan government in resettling internally displaced persons (IDPs). Although the Kenyan government believes it can handle the resettlement process independently, the international assistance from organizations like UNHCR helps reinforce their efforts by providing additional resources and expertise, ensuring that IDPs have better access to shelter and basic needs.

Imagine you're building a treehouse in your backyard. You might have all the tools and ideas to do it yourself, but when your friend, who is good at carpentry, comes over to help, the process becomes smoother. Similarly, the Kenyan government can manage on its own, but the UNHCR’s support makes everything easier for the IDPs.

But, in terms of the understanding of the hierarchy of the government setup, one is the minister of our provincial administration and internal security, which has been looking at the internal security aspects and they are further directed with the provincial commissioner because as I said there are 8 provinces, so each province has been headed by a provincial commissioner.

In Kenya, the government structure is organized hierarchically, particularly in how disaster management is handled. At the top, there is a Minister responsible for provincial administration and internal security. This minister coordinates with provincial commissioners, who oversee the eight provinces in Kenya. Each province is further divided into districts and subdivisions, with a governance structure that extends down to the village level, ensuring that disaster management efforts are tailored to local needs and circumstances.

This is like a school where the principal is in charge, and under the principal, there are head teachers for different grades. Each head teacher manages their students based on the unique needs of their grade. In disaster management, the Kenyan government ensures that decisions are made at every level, just like in a school where attention is paid to each class.

So, they are able to see a kind of vertical coordination, also the support to KRCS and the humanitarian actors in establishing and managing the IDP camps, activate village level peace, reconciliation committees.

The government works closely with the Kenyan Red Cross Society (KRCS) and other humanitarian organizations to establish and manage camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs). This involves coordinating efforts at various levels of government and community, activating local peace and reconciliation committees to help foster a sense of stability and community among displaced individuals.

Think of it like a community picnic where different families bring food and supplies. Each family contributes what they have, and someone organizes the event to make sure everything runs smoothly. In the same way, the Kenyan government and humanitarian organizations collaborate to ensure that displaced people receive the support they need.

So, initially, there is a compensation package issued by the government about in a Kenyan of 10,000 which is about 100 Euros per IDP household and an additional 25,000 for each household with a destroyed house.

The government of Kenya introduced a compensation package for internally displaced persons (IDPs) to assist them in their recovery. Each household received about 10,000 Kenyan Shillings (approximately 100 Euros), and additional support for those whose homes were destroyed. This financial aid was intended to provide initial assistance to help families rebuild their lives after displacement.

It's like after a storm damages a neighborhood, the local government gives out money to help families fix their roofs or buy new appliances. This support gives families a starting point to recover, similar to how the Kenyan government's assistance gives IDPs a way to begin rebuilding their lives.

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