3,000 Mau families given three-day ultimatum to leave camp

Families ferry their property after they were ordered to move out of Mau Forest by KFS officers.

The government has ordered closure of a camp where at least 3,000 people evicted from Mau forest have been living.

According to Ololulunga Deputy County Commissioner Felix Kisalu, the camp in Sagaminian location, Narok South, poses a health risk.

The evictees voluntarily left the Maasai Mau Forest two months ago.

Mr Kisalu, who on Monday toured the camp, issued a three-day ultimatum for the families to leave.

The camp is located on 13 acres that was allegedly bought by a group of Rift Valley MPs.

When contacted yesterday, Kisalu said the families had violated government guidelines.

"They are living in a congested environment. The camp has no proper sanitary facilities. They are endangering their lives and those of neighbouring communities," Kisalu said.

He further averred that the land was small and not appropriate for such a huge number of people to be settled.

The families had previously occupied 17,101 acres of forestland in a settlement called Sierra Leone.

Some of those who were interviewed said it was unfair that the government was deliberately frustrating them.

Erick Bett, who has been living at the camp with his family of six, said the directive was evidence that the State was hell bent on destroying their lives.

Another camp dweller, Samuel Langat, said he has no intention of leaving the camp.

"I have nowhere to go. No one is happy living this kind of a life. The government should reveal what exactly it wants from us. This is very unfair," Mr Langat said.