Evicting us is like taking fish out of water, say Ogiek

By Beatrice Obwocha

The Ogiek community and the Government are set to reopen a bitter row over land.

Members of the community have vowed to stay put, despite a notice given to all illegal settlers on the Mau Forest Complex.

Ogiek People Development Programme Executive Director Daniel Kobei said about 15,000 Ogiek members living in the complex are not illegal occupants as mentioned in the notice from Kenya Forest Service.

"Our great grandfathers lived here and we have nowhere else to go. Ordering us to leave Mau is like taking a fish out of water and expect it to survive," he said.

Mr Kobei said there were Ogiek living in Narok South, East and South West Mau. He said they do not have anywhere to go, unlike those who encroached the forest.

"We do not have representation in Parliament unlike other communities whose MPs have been complaining on the planned eviction," he said.

He said the community had not contributed to the destruction of Mau, but conserved it as they rely on it for honey and pasture.

 

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