Wakili Ndumia Slams Politicians for Exploiting IDPs Suffering
Ndumia said he personally understands the pain of displacement, recalling that his family was in Eldoret during the 1997 clashes and later hosted at least ten displaced families in Nakuru following the 2007 violence.
By Suleiman Mbatiah
Social and political misfortunes should never be used for cheap political mileage, Lawyer Boniface Ndumia has said, warning leaders against exploiting the pain of displaced families for votes, headlines, or short-term advantage while offering no lasting solutions.
Ndumia said internally displaced persons continue to suffer long after elections are over, with many leaders disappearing once campaigns end and promises of resettlement, compensation, and justice left unfulfilled.
He was speaking at the Canaan IDP camp in Pipeline, Nakuru Town East, during a visit to assess the humanitarian situation of families who have lived in the camp for nearly two decades after being displaced by post-election violence.
The camp hosts families displaced during the 2007–2008 post-election violence, many of whom remain without permanent shelter, adequate food, clean water, or access to basic services. Nearly 20 years later, Ndumia noted, their lives remain defined by uncertainty and neglect.
“The pain of IDPs is often remembered only during campaigns,” Ndumia said, adding that once elections pass, their suffering is quickly forgotten. He regretted that politicians frequently invoke the plight of displaced communities for sympathy but fail to follow through with meaningful action.
Ndumia expressed concern over the poor living conditions at the camp, saying families continue to endure overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and persistent food shortages. Despite government efforts in the past to purchase land for resettlement, the families have never been settled on parcels acquired at Kisima Farm in Njoro and Ndinga Farm in Subukia due to prolonged court cases and insecurity.
He called for transformative and inclusive leadership that places the welfare of displaced persons at the centre of policy decisions, rather than treating them as a political footnote.
“You have been misused by politicians,” Ndumia told the residents. “Now they are busy planning who will inherit their seats as they seek higher offices. Leadership is not meant for a chosen few.”
He urged IDPs to demand accountability from leaders seeking elective positions by questioning what they have done to improve their lives while in office or positions of influence. As a lawyer, he said he’d take up existing matters affecting the IDPs.
Ndumia said he personally understands the pain of displacement, recalling that his family was in Eldoret during the 1997 clashes and later hosted at least ten displaced families in Nakuru following the 2007 violence.
The 2027 Nakuru Town East parliamentary aspirant said the continued existence of IDP camps years after elections remains a national failure that requires urgent, honest, and sustained action beyond political seasons.
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