Keep politics off Mau C*mplex restoration
The planned eviction of settlers in the Mau Forest has elicited an emotive debate and political undertones among Kenyans and leaders.
It is such debates that saw Belgut MP Nelson Koech record a statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations at the weekend over what is considered inciting utterances on the evictions.
The MP is said to have made remarks bordering on incitement and violence over an exercise whose rationale has been debated and agreed on by National government, of which he is part by virtue being a legislator.
He is among the politicians opposing the Mau restoration efforts under the guise of fighting for settlers’ rights. They have resorted to politicising a matter that should be black and white.
That the degradation of the water tower threatens livelihoods of thousands in Kenya should prompt all Kenyans to supports efforts to restore Mau.
Human activities, including encroachment, deforestation and human-induced socio-economic activities, have mainly contributed to the debasement and destruction of the Mau Forest, with disastrous results.
Environment Cabinet secretary Keriako Tobiko has since ruled out compensation for those affected by the evictions, arguing that their occupation of the forest was illegal to start with.
It, therefore, defies logic for some leaders to politicise the exercise. Such acts smack of both recklessness and impunity, especially coming from legislators.
Kenyans are agreed that such important national resources as the Mau water tower must be protected at all costs.
It’s worth noting that the government issued illegal settlers in Mau with notices in good time and the leadership was well aware of the impending evictions.
It is, therefore, hypocritical of leaders to pretend to have woken up to the eviction news and resorting to inciting residents.
The results of environmental degradation affect all, including the settlers. It is against this background that the government is committed to restoring the key water tower.
Our plea is for Koech and his ilk to let the government proceed with the eviction exercise just as planned.
It is for the common good. Our plea, to the government, however, is to ensure the exercise is carried out in line with the law while protecting the rights of evictees.
