Ogiek census results likely to ignite Mau

By Karanja Njoroge

Census of the indigenous Ogiek community in Mau Forest complex has been completed, The Standard has learnt.

According to the Chairman of the Sub- Committee on the Ogiek at the Mau Forest Interim Coordinating Secretariat, Joseph Towett, the 10-day exercise established there are 9,226 Ogiek adults in the forest.

Controversy rocked the profiling, which was ordered to prepare for their resettlement from the forest.

Towett said vetting did not cover Mt Elgon and Keiyo where other members of the community are living. He said the end of the exercise paves way for the next phase of the restoration of the forest.

The exercise was ordered by the Mau Forest Interim Co-ordinating Secretariat, which is charged with restoring the key water tower.

The Ogiek claim they have lived in Mau Forest Complex for at least 150 years. The Mau is divided into 22 areas, with Ogiek inhabiting 12 of these (Marishooni, Nesuit, Saino, Sururu, Kiptungo, Sogoo, Nkaroni, Tinet, Sasimwani, Oltpirik, Nkareta and Olmekenyu).

The National Vision Party last week called for the exercise to be halted saying it has the potential to ignite endless and dangerous land clashes between the Ogiek and other communities.

Another group has gone to court seeking to have the resettlement halted. The group made up of some members of the Kalenjin community claim the Government is discriminating against them by only taking a population census of the Ogiek while isolating the claimants and other individuals living in Mau.