Mau settlers start trooping out

• Better safe than sorry, they say as they move property away

Scores of settlers in Kenya's Mau Forest have started moving out their property as the government shows no sign of relenting on its resolve to save the complex.

The movement of property has started in Molo South amid reports that the government had set up a combined force of GSU, AP and forest rangers to help remove the settlers.

One of the settlers, Mr Charles Sitienei, who was moving his 12 cows, said the tough stance taken by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga showed that those who refuse to vacate the forest may be forcibly moved and he did not want to lose his property in the process.

Mr Sitienei, from Ndoinet in Mau West, said tension was rife in the area.

He said he was ferrying the animals to his relative in Sigor, Chepalungu. He said he left the area in 1997 after he was allocated land by the government and later issued with a title deed by President Kibaki in 2003.

Mr John Rop, who was also ferrying his cows to Buret, said he bought the land in 2004 but did not have a title deed.

Mr Rop said most people were ready to move out of the forest if they were compensated.

He blamed leaders for taking a hard stance over the matter and confusing them.

“It’s already a fact that there will be evictions but we are worried what form it will take. We also don’t want to lose our property,” he said.

He cited the President’s directive while unveiling the PM’s strategic plan on Wednesday in which he urged the PM to prioritise the removal of “all forms of human habitation” from all water catchments in the country, saying it might be the final signal.

Molo DC Julius Kavita said he was not aware of the movement of settlers.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka has said all water towers must be conserved.

However, settlers with proper documents will be compensated, he said.

“The removal of people in an area must be done humanely so that we do not create more Internally Displaced Persons,” the VP said.

He made the remarks while officially opening the annual Law Society of Kenya conference at a Mombasa hotel.