Do not politicise Mau Forest evictions

Kenya has made great strides in recent years in slowing deforestation and protecting water catchment areas, leading to a rise in water levels in many rivers and important water and fish sources such as Lake Naivasha.

The rate of deforestation has clearly fallen over the past six years, as the Government targets land situated in forests where people have settled for conservation. In the past, the State used police raids and other tactics to crack down on illegal deforestation.

Settlements in Mau Forest has been a major source of friction between our politicians. Calls for those occupying forest land to vacate have resurfaced and true to our culture, there are people politicising the issue.

Deputy President William Ruto has called for relocation of the encroachers, but his calls have been met with stiff opposition from a number of politicians from the Rift Valley.

The opposers have failed to make a distinction between the State and the person of Mr Ruto in determining who wants the illegal settlers in Mau Forest evicted.

Ruto's political detractors have reminded him that he was opposed to a similar initiative in 2005 when the Coalition Government that brought together CORD leader Raila Odinga and former President Mwai Kibaki sought to evict Mau Forest settlers.

They have called his present motive into question.

But we all ought to understand that conservation of the forest, which is a water catchment area alongside the Mount Kenya Forest and the Aberdares, is a national duty that must be spearheaded by the Government. It is a duty that cannot wait. It must be done now.

Unfortunately, the Mau Forest evictions have provided grounds for a political show-down between the Deputy President and Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto. The latter has come out publicly to tell the more than 25,000 illegal settlers not to move out as ordered by the Government.

If the Jubilee government is determined to move people out of the Mau Forest, it must exhibit goodwill and determination by acting as opposed to engaging in rhetoric and sideshows at political rallies.

It is also imperative for the Government to acquire alternative land on which to settle those evicted from the forest.