Kerio residents praise Embobut forest evictions

Mzee Paul Longei during a public baraza on March 7, 2014. Communities living in the Kerio Valley have thanked the government for evicting persons who had settled in Embobut Forest saying that they are now able to get more water as the forest is recovering from destruction. PHOTO/DENNIS LUBANGA.

What you need to know:

  • The evictions which were conducted by the government through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources in the Embobut Forest early 2014 saw thousands of squatters leave the water tower.
  • Mrs Emily Kipkech a resident of Kerio Valley noted that following the evictions, women were no longer forced walk long distances in search of water.
  • KFS Marakwet Zonal forests manager, Alfred Nyaswabu said that the agency is currently doing surveillance to ensure that no one goes back into the forest.

People living along the Kerio Valley in Elgeyo Marakwet County are optimistic that their lives will greatly improve following evictions of people who had occupied a nearby public forest.

The evictions which were conducted by the government through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources in the Embobut Forest early 2014 saw thousands of squatters leave the water tower.

Communities in the Kerio Valley who depend on Kerio River for their livestock and agriculture had initially raised an alarm on the dwindling water levels.

This followed the degradation of the forest which covers an area of over 21,000 hectares.

But the government acted by evicting those who had settles in the forest.

COMPENSATION

The 2,964 squatters were each given Sh400,000 in compensation at a ceremony conducted by President Uhuru Kenyatta in November 2013.

The evictees were asked to buy land elsewhere for resettlement.

Elders from local communities living along the valley have thanked the government for ensuring the squatters vacated the forest.

They were speaking to Nation.co.ke on Friday when they toured the region to inspect the forest after the evictions.

The elders revealed that they were now getting enough clean water following the evictions and were optimistic that the move was set to transform their lives.

According to Koibarir location area chief Alfred Lorem, most of the local communities in the area engage in farming and so the move by the government to evict the squatters from the forest is set to open a new chapter in their lives.

FARMING ACTIVITIES

“Most of all the local communities around this place are farmers who grow crops and keep livestock.

As such, the move by the government to have the squatters leave the forest has seen a drastic change in our livelihoods as we are now able to carry out our socio-economic activities effectively now that we have enough water,” Mr Lorem said.

He added that the local administration has embarked on a campaign to sensitise the locals on the need to plant trees.

Paul Longei, an elder from the Keiyo community said that locals had now fully embraced agriculture following the evictions.

Longei noted that the region is set to become the next food basket of the country as locals are fast adapting to irrigation farming and growing a variety of crops.

“After the evictions of squatters from the Embobut Forest, we are now getting enough water which has enabled most of us to start growing different crops like water melons, green grams, cow peas, millet, and maize among others and so, Kerio Valley will be the next food basket of this country,” Longei said.

Mrs Emily Kipkech a resident of Kerio Valley noted that following the evictions, women were no longer forced walk long distances in search of water.

STUDENTS BENEFIT

Kipkech’s sentiments were echoed by the principal of Kerio Valley Boys Secondary School Felix Wambota who said that students at the institution were no longer forced to go out of the school compound in search of water.

Mr Wambota revealed that the school was now buying most of its food from the local communities.

“Our students used to have a major challenge in accessing water since the nearby rivers are many kilometers away but following the evictions.

We have seen a drastic increase in the student population with many of them coming up with modern agricultural methods,” said Wambota adding that the school has acquired more water tanks for water conservation.

Kenya Forest Service Marakwet Zonal forests manager, Alfred Nyaswabu said that the forest agency is currently doing surveillance of the water tower to ensure that no one goes back into the forest.

Mr Nyaswabu at the same time noted that KFS is currently waiting for the long rains season so that it can start restoring the massively degraded forest back to its initial state.

“KFS has now taken full control of Embobut Forest and we seek to engage the local communities in the conservation management and sustainable utilisation of the forest as enshrined in the Forest Act of 2005 so that they can have enough water and better lives,” Nyaswabu said.
He applauded the locals for their cooperation and support during and after the forest evictions.