It is eight years since Rwandan and Ugandan traders lost their property valued at $47million dollars following Kenya’s 2007-2008 post-election violence. Eight years of waiting for the traders is way too long. Some of the traders have been dragged to court by their creditors whose dues are a direct result of the loss they suffered. The traders say creditors have long lost patience and commenced recovery proceedings. In the spirit of integration and justice, the Kenyan government should move fast and compensate the traders and transporters who saw their trucks and goods destroyed along the Nairobi-Eldoret-Kampala highway. Efforts by the East African Business Council (EABC) to help the traders are commendable but what the traders want now is urgent help and not bureaucratic engagements. The resolution from the meeting between Members of the EABC last week and Kenya’s Deputy President, William Ruto should be acted on without any delay. The Deputy President [Ruto] promised and directed the concerned ministers to act. But 8 years is too long, the issue should have been resolved by now. The traders went through all the relevant channels to claim compensation and there is an agreed position that Kenya agreed to compensate the traders. In 2009, the affected traders and transporters commenced a claim against the Attorney General of Kenya and the Attorney General recommended the case to be settled out of court and an inter-ministerial committee was formed to settle the issue. The Committee evaluated and analyzed evidence and legality of the claims, and a compensatory amount was then reached and approved by the Attorney General. Since the compensation amount was agreed, there is need to effect it without further delays to help the traders meet their financial obligations incurred as a result of eight years of waiting.
