Now Ntimama leads rebellion against Ruto deal on the Mau
Turkana South MP Josephat Nanok speaks at Wednesday’s press conference attended by 11 Rift Valley MPs at Parliament Buildings. They denounced a deal reached on Tuesday by a section of Rift Valley MPs with President Kibaki on Mau evictions. Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI
What you need to know:
- Settlers on forest land are grabbers who deserve punishment for trespass, say MPs
Several Rift Valley members of Kenyan Parliament have denounced an agreement reached at a meeting between President Kibaki and Kalenjin MPs over the Mau Forest Complex evictions.
A Cabinet minister, seven assistants and five MPs said the agreement was not binding to the people of Rift Valley.
Heritage minister William ole Ntimama, assistant ministers Katoo ole Metito, Ndiritu Muriithi, Lee Kinyanjui, Josephat Nanok, Mwangi Kiunjuri, Joseph Nkaissery, Simeon Lesrima and the five MPs said the Mau issue should be separated from national healing and reconciliation.
“Reconciliation is not conditional. We must divorce peace and reconciliation from politics. We are not going to trade off Mau for any deal,” said Mr Kinyanjui, the Nakuru Town MP.
Across parties
Other MPs drawn from across parties at Wednesday’s press conference at Parliament Buildings were Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), Joseph Kiuna (Molo), Raphael Letimalo (Samburu East), Gideon Konchellah (Kilgoris) and Maison Leshomo (nominated).
They accused the group led by Agriculture minister William Ruto of using Mau to blackmail the government to avoid justice over the post-election violence.
They rejected compensation for those living in Mau Forest, describing them as land grabbers who deserve punishment.
“The question of compensating beneficiaries of illegal excisions should not arise. It is the people who have suffered from the effects of their actions who should be compensated,” said Mr Muriithi, the Laikipia West MP.
In a statement read by Mr Metito, the Kajiado South MP, the group accused Kalenjin MPs of purporting to speak on behalf of all Rift Valley MPs especially on the Mau Forest dispute and the handling of post-election violence suspects.
On Tuesday, Agriculture minister led MPs from the Kalenjin community to a closed-door meeting with President Kibaki. It was understood that the meeting resolved that settlers in the crucial Mau water tower would be compensated before being removed from the forest.
On Wednesday, Mr Ntimama’s group demanded that the settlers be evicted immediately without compensation, to save the country from the worsening environmental crisis.
The conservation of Mau Forest has been a thorn in the flesh of Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s leadership and running of his ODM party.
While Mr Odinga has been spearheading efforts for the removal of settlers in the forest, Kalenjin leaders have vigorously resisted, saying all those with title deeds should first be compensated before eviction.
