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Ruling stopping Mau eviction pointless, says Natembeya

Friday, November 22nd, 2019 00:12 | By
A man leaves the Mau Forest during the recent evictions. PD/FILE

 by Noah Cheploen and Alvin Mwangi

The hope of Mau Forest evictees getting back to the area has hit a brick wall after a government official dismissed a ruling by a regional court stopping their eviction as lacking in merit, meaningless and pointless. 

Yesterday, the Africa Commission of Human and Peoples Rights ordered the Kenyan government to stop ongoing evictions until a case filed by 60,000 residents is heard and determined.

The Gambia-based court said in a seven-page ruling that the petitioners demonstrated that the eviction was in contravention of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

Noting that the exercise will cause “massive human rights violations and irreparable damage”, the court ordered the government to stop the evictions in the 46,000-hectare Maasai Mau Forest which is part of the expansive Mau Forest complex.

“Should evictions proceed as presented in the facts of the complainant, the victims are likely to be placed in an insufferable position,” the commission said.

Closed chapter

However, speaking to People Daily, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya dismissed the ruling, saying it had been overtaken by events. He added that “eviction was completed a long time ago”.

“We closed that chapter and now we’re rehabilitating the forest. You know a drowning person will clutch at anything,” he said.  Noting that the government is focused on restoring the entire Mau Forest complex, Natembeya said they will not be distracted.

The petition was lodged by the Centre for Comparative and International Law and the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa on September 30.

A group of lawyers has cautioned the government against disobeying the African Union ruling as it could scuttle Kenya’s bid for the United Nations Security Council  non-permanent seat.

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