The rains came in the night, turning the foundations of St Stephen's Cathedral into a swimming pool.

It meant another sleepless night for hundreds of families sleeping on the bare concrete of the roofless nave. As dawn broke they were wringing out their blankets or huddling in buses for warmth.

Without an international aid worker or United Nations agency in sight, volunteers at the cathedral said that they desperately needed support to help the thousands of people arriving in the western city of Kisumu fleeing tribal unrest.

Aid workers say that the Kenya Red Cross — given the lead role by the Government in helping 600,000 people displaced by violence — simply cannot cope. They said that the agency was failing to share information and risked prolonging the humanitarian emergency.

“There's been a feeling that the Kenya Red Cross is overstretched,” said a UN official in Nairobi. “At the same time the Government is not keen on a United Nations presence in the camps because it makes it look like more of a crisis.” Aid officials are reluctant to speak out for fear of jeopardising their relationship with Kenya's Government.

But it is understood that they raised their concerns with Sir John Holmes, the UN's emergency relief co-ordinator, when he visited the country last weekend.

Yesterday Kenya's Government and Opposition moved a step closer to a power-sharing agreement, with a deal to enact constitutional and electoral reform. They also agreed to an independent review of December's flawed elections.

Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary-General, who is mediating the talks between the Government and Opposition, said that the two sides were inching closer towards a deal. “We are at the water's edge and the last difficult and frightening step, as difficult as it is, will be taken.” The agreements were the first sign of progress since the December elections unleashed weeks of turmoil. But with the talks continuing, there were signs patience was wearing thin among Kenyans. Even if a political solution comes soon, the damage done already to the nation's social fabric and economy will take years to reverse.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, is due to arrive in the East African country on Monday when the talks are due to resume.

Meanwhile, buses continue to transport Luos — from the tribe of opposition leader Raila Odinga — back to their homeland around Kisumu, on the shores of Lake of Victoria. They are fleeing areas dominated by the Kikuyu, from President Kibaki's ethnic group, after clashes that have left more than 1,000 people dead.

More than 9,000 have passed through the rubble-strewn shell of St Stephen's since the camp was set up 11 days ago. Most are moved on after a night or two.

George Muyera, an engineer who has volunteered to help to manage the site, said that the Red Cross had offered little assistance. “This camp is like an intimidation to the Government,” he said. “They want to look like they are in control.” The site's two toilet cubicles are piled high with excrement. Addi Abubakar, 32, said that his family of six had been forced to share two blankets since arriving from Nakuru, the scene of some of the worst violence.

“It rained last night so everyone had to get up and try to dry everything off and try to go back to sleep,” he said. “We had to cuddle close to keep warm.” He added that with a few more blankets and some pots and pans, he would be able to be self-sufficient.

But for now he is stranded in what is supposed to be a transit camp. “All we need is a few small items but no one can give us them,” he said.

Pamela Indiaki, a regional manager for the Kenya Red Cross, denied accusations that the charity was failing to cope. She said that the organisation was supplying food and medicine to everyone who needed them and was moving towards being able to take over camps like St Stephen's Cathedral. “That camp came up spontaneously. At first we were all shy of this policy of transporting people. So it was only later on that organisations realised it was a reality,” she said.

Desperate plight of displaced

1,000 people killed in political violence since December 27 elections

600,000 people have been displaced

50 per cent of these are in camps

347 settlement camps for refugees have been set up

12,000 displaced Kenyans have fled into Uganda

45 per cent of the registered refugees in Ugandan camps are children

$47m planned US aid and humanitarian donation to Kenya this year

Sources: OCHA; Kenyan Red Cross; USAID

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