Mau families will not be forcibly evicted, DP Ruto says
Deputy President William Ruto addresses residents during the inspection of Chesoi-Tirap-Maron road in Elgeyo Marakwet County which is being tarmacked on May 02, 2015. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP.
What you need to know:
- He said the Government and leaders in Mau were working together to come up with a solution as opposed to using force.
- Mr Ruto called for concerted efforts in the fight against destruction of forests in the country to avert desertification.
The Government will not use force to evict families from Mau forest and other water catchment areas in the country, Deputy President William Ruto has said.
Mr Ruto said the Government would involve leaders from the affected areas before any action is taken against those who have invaded the Forest.
“Leaders should come up with a consensus on the plan of action as far as those who have invaded forests are concerned but use of force should not be applied,” said Mr Ruto.
The Deputy President said burning of houses to evict those who have invaded forests was not a lasting solution to conserving forests.
He said the Government and leaders in Mau were working together to come up with a solution as opposed to using force.
He was speaking at Kakaya grounds in Embobut Forest, Elgeyo-Marakwet County on Saturday during a tour of the Chesoi-Sambalat road, accompanied by Senator Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo-Marakwet), MPs William Kisang (Marakwet West), Bowen Kangogo (Marakwet East) and Deputy Governor Daniel Lamaon.
COMPENSATION
Mr Ruto called for concerted efforts in the fight against destruction of forests in the country to avert desertification.
The Deputy President commended residents in Marakwet East for heeding government’s call to voluntarily move out of Embobut Forest.
The leaders promised to compensate those families which moved out of the forest but missed the first phase of the compensation.
