President Mwai Kibaki on Monday launched a multimillion-dollar fund for resettlement of displaced persons, to be chaired by the retired Catholic Archbishop of Nairobi, Raphael Ndingi Mwana a' Nzeki.

The ongoing resettlement of people displaced by the post-election violence will cost the government about USD 500 million. Launching the kitty, the president led a two-hour funds drive at which USD 7.5 million was collected.

President Kibaki urged all Kenyans "to help those who are now in great need by supporting this fundraising. I also appeal to our international friends to support these efforts."

He also called upon communities in the areas affected by violence to demonstrate goodwill by welcoming the displaced persons who are now returning to their farms.

"In particular, I call upon leaders countrywide to play an active role in promoting peace within the district peace and reconciliation committees. I would like to appeal to all leaders and Kenyans in general to be patient and to maintain peace, law and order as we work out long-term solutions to the underlying challenges to the problems facing us," the president said.

Kibaki said that 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.

Early this year the government launched a fund known as the Humanitarian Fund for Mitigation of Effects and Resettlement of Victims of Post-2007 Election Violence and donated Kshs one billion.

The Chief Communication Officer in the Office of Public Communications, Hamisi Chumo, told CISA that people wishing to make donations by cheque or in cash to the Central Bank of Kenya in favour of the Humanitarian Fund, should get more information from: Ministry of Special Programmes, Tel: +254 020 2215245 or Office of Public Communications.