Jubilee government to resettle Mau evictees by November

By Edwin Makiche and Steve Mkawale

BOMET, KENYA: Mau forest evictees squatting at camps in Konoin district of Bomet county are relieved, for now, after the Jubilee government pledged to resettle them in the next one month.

The over 1,000 families have been living in squalid conditions over the past five years after they were evicted from the water tower.

Speaking when he visited Chebugen and Kusumek Transitional camps on Wednesday, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto revealed that Jubilee government had set aside funds to either purchase the evictees alternative parcels for resettlement or offer them as cash to buy farms at places of their choice.

Ruto, who did not reveal the amount of money set aside for the exercise decried that the process of resettlement was long overdue and said most evictees had lost their family members due to harsh weather conditions and lack of basic amenities.

"We want to assure the families that the Jubilee government is committed to solve this issue once and for all, and as the county leadership we will ensure that this is done in the next one month,’’ said Ruto.

''This exercise was carried out by another regime and as Jubilee we will not fail in our pledge to ensure all evictees are resettled,'' he said.

The governor’s assurance came amid criticisms from sections of the evictees that Jubilee administration had taken long to resettle them despite using the issue as a campaign pledge.

The eviction which was aimed at conserving the 400,000 hectare water tower had soured relationship between deputy president William Ruto and former Prime minister Raila Odinga.

The former premier was largely blamed by section of Rift Valley MPs as the chief architect of the exercise.