President Mwai Kibaki today launched a national initiative to raise funds for the resettlement of the internally displaced persons and appealed to Kenyans, development partners and the private sector to contribute generously towards the initiative.

Speaking at Kenyatta International Conference Centre where he helped to raise over Kshs 457 million including his personal donation of Kshs 5 million towards the resettlement of IDPs, President Kibaki reiterated his call to both the displaced people and the host communities, who have co-existed as neighbours for many years, to embrace the new spirit of reconciliation.

Noting that the electioneering period was over and those who competed during the election campaigns were now working together under the grand coalition government, the President said the spirit of reconciliation and tolerance should permeate throughout the country and be manifested at all levels of the society.

"I also call upon communities in the areas affected by violence to demonstrate goodwill by welcoming the displaced persons who are now returning to their farms," said President Kibaki.

President Kibaki in particular called on leaders countrywide to play an active role in promoting peace through the district peace and reconciliation committees.

He urged all leaders and Kenyans in general to be patient and to maintain peace, law and order as long-term solutions to the underlying challenges to the problems facing the country are being addressed.

The President said the Government was fully aware that the cycle of violence needs a more permanent solution and expressed confidence that the grand coalition government will address the issues conclusively. 

"Indeed, I believe that Kenyans will come out of the current challenges a better nation and a better people," the Head of State said.

In this regard, President Kibaki encouraged all Kenyans to help those who are now in great need by supporting the fundraising.

The President, at the same time, assured IDPs who have expressed fears and reservations over the ongoing resettlement programme that the government has put in place adequate security arrangements for their safety.

"Moreover, the current resettlement initiatives are the outcome of intense reconciliation efforts by grassroots peace committees and the local leaders," the President noted. 

President Kibaki said the urgent challenge for the Government is to restore food production activities by ensuring that those who were displaced from their homes and farms can begin to rebuild their lives and become productive members of their communities and the nation once again. 

Noting that many of the displaced persons are small-holder farmers who acquired their land parcels through considerable sacrifice, the President said the government has an obligation to ensure that the violence does not become a means of dispossessing these people of their lifetime possessions. 

He noted that the resettlement programme started with those who are currently living under difficult conditions in various camps in the affected areas while the next phase will involve those who took shelter among relatives and friends after their houses were destroyed.

The President emphasized that the ongoing resettlement programme which commenced early last week is purely voluntary and the government will not coerce people to return to their homes.

"Nevertheless, I am glad to note that the response has been overwhelming, and last week alone over 85,000 displaced persons participated in the programme and returned to their farms," President Kibaki said.

Saying that about 30 billion shillings will be required to meet the full costs of resettlement, including reconstruction of basic housing, replacement of household effects and rehabilitation of community utilities and institutions destroyed during the violence, the President said it was for this reason that early this year an endowment fund to which the government injected an initial sum of one billion shillings was launched.  

He said the Fund, known as the Humanitarian Fund for Mitigation of Effects and Resettlement of Victims of Post-2007 Election Violence, will receive and manage all financial resources appropriated by Parliament as well as grants and donations from friends and well wishers.

He expressed appreciation that the Fund has already been instrumental in meeting the basic needs of displaced persons in the camps, adding that the fund has also been instrumental in facilitating the movement of the internally displaced persons from the camps to their farms.

The President thanked the development partners and friends who have already contributed funds towards addressing the humanitarian challenges facing the country, singling out the government of Algeria for contributing 500,000 U.S. dollars to the fund.

 "The money will go a long way towards assisting victims of the post-election violence who are being resettled on their farms," President Kibaki said

Noting that a number of friendly countries and development partners made public pledges to donate funds in support of victims of the post-election violence, President Kibaki encouraged them to do so now to enable those returning to their homes get the necessary financial and material assistance to begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

Speaking during the occasion the Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka reiterated that Kenya was still a very stable despite negative remarks from prophets of doom and appealed to Kenyans to uphold unconditional forgiveness to promote peace, which he said was the best antidote for the post-election skirmishes that occurred in the country even more than the construction of police stations.

The Vice-President termed Kenya as a caring country and that the public fundraiser was a testimony of the true image of the nation and further thanked President Kibaki and the Prime Minister, Hon Raila Odinga for their courageous decision and sacrifice to save the country from destruction.

Other speakers during the occasion, which was, attended by several cabinet ministers and senior government officials, included the Ministers for Special Programmes, Dr Naomi Shaban and Internal Security, Prof George Saitoti.