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Mau Forest evictions to begin as two-month deadline lapses

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2019 08:00 | By
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya addresses Mau forest settlers at Sierra Leone in Narok South. Photo/PD/FILE

 By Noah Cheploen, Peter Leshan and KNA

The restoration of Maasai Mau Forest has reached the penultimate stage with the 60-day grace period that the government gave illegal settlers to leave voluntarily set to lapse this week, paving way for eviction.

Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya, who is spearheading the restoration programme, says about 4,000 families, who had invaded the 46,000-hectare forest, had already left.

In a recent interview with People Daily, Natembeya insisted there was no turning back on the planned evictions. He, however, said the exercise would be carried out in a humane manner. 

“Many of them have left. We are telling those who have not to leave because they are there illegally,” he said.

Natembeya said the government was yet to make a decision on what to do with the 15 schools in the forest, which he said were not officially recognised. 

“Those are not schools but structures built by unscrupulous leaders… ask yourself why TSC has never posted teachers to the schools. It is because they are not registered,” he said. 

The government is targeting about 12,000 families in the second phase of eviction from Maasai Mau, which is one of the 22 blocks of the Mau Forest Complex.

During Mashujaa Day celebrations, Narok County Commissioner Samuel Kimiti said 1,413 families have partially moved out, which means they left their houses and some property behind.

“Some left their houses and other belongings behind,” Kimiti said. 

He said out of the 15 schools, only five were operating and will be closed once the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination is complete. 

Kimiti said 11 title deeds and 77 sales agreements had been surrendered by the settlers. He urged others to surrender the documents and provide information on how they acquired the land so that due process can be followed.

“From next week, surveyors will be there to look at the forest boundaries and consequently tree planting will begin,” he said.

During the first phase in July last year, about 7,700 people were moved from more than 12,000 acres of land. 

The second phase includes Nkoben, Ilmotiok, Ololunga,  Enokishomi, Enoosokon, Nkaroni and Sisian areas.

The Mau is the largest water tower in the country, supporting millions of human  and wildlife in Kenya and beyond.

Dickson Ritan, the head of the joint Mau Security Command yesterday said all settlers would have left before the end of the week.

“About 70 per cent of people who have been in the forest have moved out. We expect more to leave before this weekend when the notice will expire,” he said.

Two weeks ago, security forces comprising the Administration Police, the Rapid Deployment Unit, Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Kenya Wildlife Service officers descended on Sierra Leone area and flattened all structures after youths armed with arrows allegedly attacked a KFS camp at Loliondo area.

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