MPs in fresh attack on Mau evictions

A section of Rift Valley MPs have launched a fresh scathing attack on the government over eviction of Mau Forest settlers, saying they should instead be relocated. The over 13 MPs had on Saturday visited nearly 3,000 squatters who have since left the south western part of the Mau forest and are camping at Kapsongor.

They accused the government of neglecting those who had moved from the forest and demanded that they be resettled elsewhere. The Prime Minister’s office had earlier on Saturday confirmed that the official eviction exercise will start on Monday. Cabinet ministers William Ruto (Agriculture), Franklin Bett (Roads), and assistant minister Jebii Kilimo (Cooperative Development) left a leaders’ retreat in Mombasa and went to Kapsongor.

“The government has failed to abide by the promise that those removed from the forest will be resettled. They have not. And before they assure us that they will, we are asking you to stay put,” said Mr Bett. This came barely hours after the retreat in Mombasa resolved that ministers and their assistants take collective responsibility.

In a communiqué issued on Saturday at the end of a three-day national leaders’ retreat in Mombasa, the ministers and assistant ministers also agreed to avoid utterances that could portray a negative image of the government. However, Mr Ruto criticised Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Wildlife Minister Noah Wekesa for evicting the Mau Forest settlers before making adequate plans for their resettlement.

The government maintained that those to be evicted in the first two phases had no title deeds and will go back to where they originally lived. “I am shocked when some minister says those evicted should go back to where they originally lived when they have lived here all their lives,” said Mr Ruto in apparent reference to the directive from the Prime Minister’s office.

A statement signed by the chief of the Interim Coordinating Secretariat, Mr Hassan Noor Hassan, showed that the eviction exercise will begin following the expiry of the 14-day vacation notice issued by the Kenya Forest Service. Mr Hassan said the squatters will be helped to return to their original homes.

He gave an assurance that the illegal squatters on the gazetted forest land for some of which no title deeds had been issued, will be moved out in humane manner. Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot accused the Prime Minister of seeking international recognition for caring about the environment at the expense of the innocent Kenyans.

Identify land

Mr Ruto said he had already spoken to President Kibaki, deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, who is also the Finance Minister and their Special Programmes colleague Dr Naomi Shaban who were in agreement that the government will identify land to resettle those displaced.

Meanwhile, according to the government statement, Sunday marks the end of Mau residents’ stay at the forest. The government confirmed on Saturday that the official eviction starts on Monday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office which is spearheading the evictions.