Phase two of Mau evictions to begin

By Kipchumba Kemei

The Government will next month embark on the second phase of the controversial Mau Forest evictions.

Kenya Forest Service sources say the exercise will kick off shortly after President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga tour the forest for a tree planting ceremony along Narok North-Molo districts borders.

The first exercise ended late last month with eviction of more than 2,000 families from South West of the complex. The Government said the families had no title deeds.

The second phase targets settlers of Kiptagich and Olengurone extension schemes where more than Sh2 billion has been reportedly offered as compensation to the beneficiaries in Likia, Mauche and adjacent areas.

Beneficiaries and supporters of those who were allocated land in the named areas have dared Raila, who is spearheading the exercise to reclaim the 400,000-hectare complex to make good his promise, threatening that the eviction would be resisted.

Title deeds

A source privy to the intended eviction to clear all settlements in the 21 forest blocks that form the complex said after the second phase, the eviction squad will move to the 146,000 hectare Maasai Mau forest where most settlers have either title deeds or land sale agreements.

"The exercise to reclaim the complex is expected to end before or after March. It is from there that its rehabilitation will start," said the source yesterday.

At the same time, a section of Maasai Mau forest settlers want the Government to vet all the claimants and carry out valuation and demarcation before the eviction or compensation.

"All those who lay claim over this forest land should be vetted, marking of forest boundaries done and valuation of the land carried out before eviction or compensation," said their spokesperson William Cheruiyot of Sierra Leone area of the forest.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance is yet to release allowances for KWS and Kenya Forest Service rangers stationed in Mau Forest.

The rangers camping in various parts of the forest to check logging and encroachment among other activities have reportedly gone without allowances since late October.

 

Read all about: Kenya Forest Service

 

 

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