How grabbing of forest land started

Man who chaired commission on illegal allocation of land tells writer SAMWEL KUMBA, of the genesis of the Mau problem

Later in 1997, the government decided to establish in Nakuru another settlement scheme – Olenguruone and extension of Kiptagich for which 1,812 ha were set aside.

An interview of a former Commissioner for Lands by the Ndung’u Commission revealed that the intension was to establish an outgrower tea zone for Kiptagich Tea Estates, sitting on 937.7 ha of land.

All these excisions had not been gazetted.

Other settlements established without de-gazetting the forest included South West of Mau to establish Saino, Ndoinet, Tinet among others, and Eastern Mau to establish Sururu and Likia.

In the 1990s group ranches were ordered to subdivide their land among members. The directive also applied to land buying companies and cooperatives.

A few ranches bordered the Mau forest. In the process of subdivision of ranches, they encroached into forest land, and subdivided it as well.

This is when the settlements on the Narok and Trans Mara side of the Mau started.

But some was given to, mainly Maasai’s, who sold their portions to mostly the Kipsigis, for as low as Sh10,000 a hectare.

Mr Ndung’u says that because all the settlements were created in the forest before it was de-gazatted to farm land, everything was done illegally.

“It does not matter who gave the directive, including the President... the titles should be revoked, everybody should be evicted and the forest to be replanted,” he said.