Pay us before eviction, say settlers

• Families push for damages, saying they suffered losses in 2005

Settlers in Maasai Mau Forest are demanding compensation before the government evicts them.

This comes three days after the government spoke of its intention to begin the evictions.

Led by retired senior chief Christopher Bore, a member of the Mau taskforce who did not sign its report, the settlers asked the government to compensate them first for the damages they suffered in the 2005 evictions.

“We welcome the government’s assurance that boundaries will be marked first, but we demand that it respects the boundaries it draws and that we be paid for the losses we suffered in the 2005 evictions,” said Mr Bore.

He claimed six schools, several churches and homes were burnt outside the boundaries drawn and that the government only apologised without paying them for the losses.

He identified the public schools that were burnt as Chebitet, Koitaba, Kebeneti and Noosagami.

The destroyed privately-owned schools were Noosagami Fountain Academy and Silver Star Academy in Sierra Leone area.

Historical injustice

Mr Bore said four-and-half years down the line the government had not rebuilt them nor replaced the books and furniture destroyed.

A commissioner with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), Dr Kipng’etich Tororei, echoed the same sentiments.

He said the human rights violations of 2005 amounted to historical injustice.

“As KNCHR we shall be taking the issue before the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission. We shall also be taking up the settlers’ complaints with the relevant authorities,” he said.

Dr Tororei welcomed the government’s statement that it would demarcate the boundaries before moving in.

A member of the Mau restoration interim coordinating secretariat was on Sunday quoted as saying all was set for the eviction of Maasai Mau settlers.

In Nyandarua leaders on Tuesday supported measures to conserve the 10,000-hectare Lake Ol Bolossat Conservation Area but urged the government to compensate families to be evicted from the riparian land.

Ol Kalou MP Erastus Mureithi, Nyahururu mayor Peter Thiari and Ol Kalou town council chairman Mwangi Nyaga said similar measures used in the eviction of people from the Mau Forest Complex should be put in place before people are moved.

They said the people should be given money to start their lives afresh.

Speaking during the launch of the Lake Ol Bolossat Management Plan, Mr Mureithi said he would not allow more people to be evicted from the area until alternative land had been found.