Our removal was unlawful, say Sengwer
What you need to know:
- The Attorney-General, Kenya Forest Service, zonal forest manager for Marakwet and the county commissioner are named as the respondents
- About 2,784 forest dwellers were given Sh400,000 each to leave but the Sengwer claim some genuine dwellers were left out
The Sengwer people have moved to court to contest their eviction from Embobut Forest in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
They filed a case at the High Court in Eldoret on Thursday saying they were forcibly evicted in spite of a court order.
“They were driven out of the forest wrongfully, taking into consideration that the case was in court,” said their lawyer, Mr Alfred Nyairo.
HUNDREDS OF HUTS BURNT
The Attorney-General, Kenya Forest Service, zonal forest manager for Marakwet and the county commissioner are named as the respondents.
The Kenya Forest Service was last month accused of burning hundreds of huts belonging to the Sengwer, a charge Principal Secretary for the Environment, Mr Richard Lesiyampe, denied, saying they left willingly.
About 2,784 forest dwellers were given Sh400,000 each to leave but the Sengwer claim some genuine dwellers were left out.
