By Kipchumba Kemei
The European Union has donated Sh200 million towards the conservation of Mau Forest.
Mau Forest Steering Committee Chairman Hassan Noor said the money would be spent in marking boundaries in five blocks of the complex and to initiate projects outside for settlers still in the forest.
He lamented that political goodwill was lacking in the forest’s conservation, adding that his committee was encountering resistance from politicians with vested interests.
“There is goodwill from donors and other stakeholders in the conservation and rehabilitation of the forest. Our headache is that we lack political support,” he said
The EU programme, Noor said, yesterday would start next week.
He said other donors will be brought on board in the conservation and rehabilitation of the vast forest, saying talks were underway.
Destruction reduced
He also said, in Narok during the launch of Narok University College Mara-Mau Outreach and Resource Centre, that since 2008 when the Government launched the conservation of the biggest water tower in East Africa, destruction has been reduced by 80 per cent.
But he said that without the vital political support it will take long to restore the Mau ecosystem, but added that despite the hiccups they are experiencing, the committee was still focused on its mission.
The Government, he added, was spending about Sh500,000 monthly for the upkeep of security personnel mandated to keep loggers at bay.
The immediate former Rift Valley PC said through persuasion, the committee has recovered some parcels of land.
Noor said that out of the 285 families kicked out of the south western block in 2009, the Government had already resettled 250 in Uasin Gishu County.
His committee, he said was optimistic that the Government would evict the remaining settlers in the forest, claiming that since its rehabilitation started four years ago, the regeneration had started and rainfall had increased.
Proposal
Noor added that his committee had written a Sh3 billion proposal to the Treasury for the compensation of 7,000 families still living in Maasai Mau forest block and lamented that it was taking long for the money to be released.
“The proposal was submitted to the Treasury long time ago but the money has not been released. Despite the delays, we are optimistic that it will finally be released for us to continue with the programme of rehabilitating and conserving the vital water tower,” he said.
The Mau Complex is considered the most important of the five main water towers in the country.
Before the Government moved to restore the complex, it was estimated that about 25 per cent of the Mau Forest had been lost to encroachment and other ills.
