Response to Post-election Crisis

Appeal Target: US$ 4,445,153

Balance Requested from ACT Alliance: US$ 3,480,778

Following elections in Kenya on 27 December 2007 and allegations of vote-rigging, sporadic violence broke out in many parts of the country between supporters of Raila Odinga`s the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Mwai Kibaki`s Party of National Unity (PNU). The riots and violence have left more than 500 people reportedly dead, and some 255,000 people displaced from the provinces in western Kenya, as well as the slums around Nairobi and other places. An estimated 4,000 people have sought refuge in neighbouring Uganda and many more reported to have fled to nearby the borders.

The flashpoints in the on-going unrest are the slum areas of Nairobi as well as the Eldoret and Burnt Forest in the Rift Valley Province, and Kisumu and Nyanza Province. Tensions are currently greatest in the Eldoret district where, in what has been the most reported cases of violence, up to 17 persons were burnt in a church. The situation remains complicated with most basic services disrupted and livelihoods destroyed. Food, shelter, water, sanitation, and health facilities are all identified needs expressed by ACT members in the country. The displaced persons are found in public buildings located within their own neighbourhood’s lands, and many have opted to move back to their areas of origin where they are physically safer and can seek collective protection. Whilst the underlying reason for this crisis is political, the humanitarian emergency is characterised as a protection crisis coupled with serious needs to restore pre-existing vulnerable and newly destroyed livelihoods.

The ACT members in Kenya have responded from the very beginning of this crisis by using their own resources and have also received Rapid Responses Funds from the ACT Alliance. ACT members in Kenya working from the ACT Kenya Forum (AKF) have so far distributed 2,300 IDP kits in nine IDP camps in Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western, Nairobi, Coast and Central Provinces. A Rapid Emergency Assessment has also been carried out with a report outlining short-term, mid-term and long- term recommendations including meeting the gaps which are contained in this appeal. The AKF is in touch with Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN) in order to assess the needs of the physically challenged residing in the IDP camps.  The psycho-social needs assessments are underway in three different IDP camps in Nyanza, North and Central Rift Valley. Currently planned is the distribution of 1,619 tents from ACT members to be distributed to persons in need of shelter in Burn Forest, Molo/Nakuru, Kisii and Endebbes in the next few days once roads are safe in these areas.

Names of ACT members:

• Christian Aid (CA)
• Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK)
• Church World Service (CWS)
• Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
• Lutheran World Relief (LWR)
• Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA

Project Completion Date: 31 January 2009

Reporting schedule

Reports due to ACT CO from CA, ACK, CWS, LWF, LWR, NCA and PDA:

Interim narrative & financial: 31 August 2008
Final narrative & financial: 31 March 2009
Audit: 30 April 2009

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested:

Note *: About USD 374,669 was mobilised by FinnChurch Aid and NCA to secure 1,519 tents for onward distribution amongst the IPs in their respective areas. Out of this total, NCA had advanced US$170,000.

Signed by: 

John Nduna
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office