- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits Nairobi to boost crisis resolution

- Negotiators in the National Dialogue Process agree on timetable and agenda to stop the violence and address underlying issues in the crisis

- 248,215 IDPs in Kenya, says the Government's Humanitarian Services Committee

- Previously food secure households risk becoming chronically food insecure in North Rift Valley, report says

Situation update

According to the Government's Humanitarian Services Committee's situation update of 31 January 2008, the number of people who have been displaced stands at 248,215, with 219,871 IDPs in Rift Valley alone. The number of deaths so far is estimated to be 921. Property worth millions of shillings has been destroyed.

The security situation in Kenya was described today as very tense but relatively calm except for Kericho, where houses were torched last night in reaction to the killing of an Opposition Member of Parliament.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited Nairobi to support efforts by mediator Kofi Annan and address the parties to the political crisis. Ban Ki-moon also highlighted the humanitarian conditions for the displaced and affected and called for an immediate stop to violence, respect for human rights and improved operational environment for humanitarians.

The two parties to the National Dialogue Proc ess, mediated by Kofi Annan, announced agreement on two documents and a timetable to move the talks between them forward. The first document is an elaborate agenda for the talks and the second lists 18 specific actions to be taken to stop the escalating violence. The 18 items include refraining from irresponsible and provocative statements, holding joint meetings to promote peace and tranquility and demobilizing and disbanding illegal armed groups and militia.

The agenda has four parts: Immediate Action to Stop Violence and Restore Fundamental Rights and Liberties; Immediate Measures to Address the Humanitarian Crisis, Promote Reconciliation, Healing and Restoration; How to Overcome the Current Political Crisis; and Long-Term Issues and Solutions.

The parties agreed that the first three agenda items would be resolved within seven to 15 days from the date the dialogue began, 29 January 2008. The fourth agenda item would be resolved within one year of that date.

Humanitarian response

Health

The Ministry of Health with partners including WHO, UNICEF, AMPTAH/IRD, IMC and Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) carried out an assessment in 11 IDP camps hosting 150,000 IDPs in Uasin Gishu district. A basic level of health services is ensured in every camp, either through static temporary facilities or through outreach services. However, both the number of toilets -average of more than 100 persons per toilet- and clean water available per person remain too low. No disease outbreaks have been reported and most of the AIDS patients who are on Anti-retroviral therapy are currently being tracked to ensure the treatment is not disrupted.

Non-food items (NFI)

UNHCR went to Tigoni with KRCS to assist 5,000 IDPs. They brought tents and 200 family kits, which added to the 700 that were already there.

In Nairobi's Kakura Church IDP camp, UNICEF supplied two mobilets, 8,000 chlorine tabs, 100 buckets, 10 cartons of soap, 100 Jerrycans and five hand tools on 30 January. On the same day UNICEF also distributed 70,000 chlorine tabs, 900 buckets, 100 cartons of soap, and 900 Jerry cans at Kirathimu Church IDP camp.

Camp management

Food and water are lacking and tents are insufficient in the Holy Cross Church camp in the Nakuru area, hosting 1,000 IDPs. With regard to the Afraha Stadium, hosting more than 5,000 IDPs, the Rotary Club of Nakuru is providing shelter and water, while Action against Hunger is overseeing water and sanitation.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is now working in and around Kitale, where 40,000 people have taken refuge. IRC teams have started fixing water pumps, building latrines and bathing facilities at the camps, setting up cleaning patrols and working with volunteers to deliver hygiene messages to avoid the spread of diseases.

Food

A rapid assessment of food security in Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia and Bungoma districts says that the livelihoods of IDPs have been damaged and hitherto food secure households risk becoming chronically food insecure. Farmers in North Rift Valley have been affected by disarray in the markets. Reduced staple food output from Kenya's grain basket region of North Rift during the 2008 season may worsen the country's food security situation later in the year and early 2009.

A total of 39.6 metric tons of food (two week ration) was distributed to 3,610 IDPs in Narok, Molo, Nakuru municipality and Rongai. Afraha stadium was the most challenging distribution due to the large population confined to a small area.

On 31 January, 20 trucks carrying 536 metric tons of food were dispatched from Mombasa to different places in Kenya, of which 13 truck carrying 324 metric tons of food were dispatched to Eldoret and Nairobi. One truck was dispatched carrying 34 metric tons of food for Uganda.

Education

On 30 January, UNICEF, KRCS and WFP agreed that Moi and Lenana Primary Schools in Nakuru should be issued with food rations on a monthly basis hoping that this will motivate children from the Nakuru show ground IDP camp to attend school. Children from Afraha stadium will be placed in Kenyatta and Kariba primary schools.

Protection

UNICEF, Save the Children (Alliance) and the Department of Children's services are creating a database to register, monitor and facilitate the tracing of separated and unaccompanied children.

The IRC is working on improving safety at the settlements in the Kitale area, especially for women. Measures include the distribution of 30 tons of firewood, as women are vulnerable to assaults when they leave in search of firewood.

Water and sanitation

According to UNICEF, two truckloads of Water and Sanitation supplies (70,000 Chlorine tabs, 900 buckets, 100 cartons of soap and 900 jerry cans) were dispatched to Kirathimu Church in Limuru. In addition, 8,000 Chlorine tabs, 100 buckets, 10 cartons of soap and 100 jerry cans were delivered by UNICEF truck to Karura Church.

Logistics

Two ECHO flights, carrying UNICEF nutritional supplies from Nairobi to Kisumu, were operated by Aviation sans Frontières on 31 January.

Contact:

Nasser Ega-Musa/UNIC Nairobi
Tel: 254 735 232539 (Nasser.ega-musa@unon.org)

Jeanine Cooper/OCHA support to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator
Tel: 254 722 720 944 (jeanine.cooper@undp.org)

Inderpal Dhiman/ Assistant to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator
Tel: 254 727 400 545 (dhiman.inderpal@undp.org)