Mau residents demand removal of AP post

The residents of Mau area in Narok South. The residents have demanded the removal of an AP post in the area saying the officers were harassing them and demanding bribes. PHOTOS:ROBERT KIPLAGAT.

Residents of more than 10 villages in Mau, Narok South have demanded immediate relocation of an Administration Police (AP) post in the area.

The residents, who live on a trust land, accused the officers of harassing them by demanding bribes to allow them build houses on their lands.

They cited a recent incident at Kaporia village, where AP officers demolished four houses, prompting residents to raise the alarm and chase the officers back to their post.

The residents wondered why the AP officers were restricting them from building new houses, yet the caveat put by the Government still stands. They added that a tea buffer zone creating a cut-line between the trust land and the Government forest was clear.

“I have a title deed for my land. How come that I have to pay an AP officer a bribe of Sh5,000 to build a new house on my land? We are tired of this exploitation. We want the Government to take these officers away to give us peace,” said Samson Sigei, a resident

The locals regretted that the officers, who were supposed to be guarding the forest against destruction, had turned out to be extortionists.

Lift Caveat

Local leaders led by Sagamian MCA Wesley Koech said locals living in Sapetet, Ogilge, Chepirpelek, Simboiyon, Kaporia, Kipchoge, Ndianit and Reiyo villages had never encroached on the forest.

Koech, however, said they were waiting for the three months promised by Deputy President William Ruto for the caveat to be lifted. He added while the locals were patiently waiting for the caveat to be lifted, the AP officers should stop harassing the residents.

“We met Ruto recently at his Karen home and told him about our plight. He told us to wait for three months, which are yet to come to an end, but it is ironical that some AP officers are contradicting the Government,” said Koech.

He added: “We will never allow any house to be demolished by bribe-taking officers at all. We appreciate the Government for coming up with the Tea Zone, which clearly shows the boundary between the settlements and the forest.”

The residents said the caveat laws blocking them from building houses were affecting their families.