Let Mau evictions be humane for the sake of school children

Security officers deployed to Mau Forest to maintain order as second phase of evictions kicks off. (Joseph Kipsang/Standard)

The importance of Mau forest to Kenyans and indeed East Africans’ lives, and sustainability of its natural resources have never been in dispute even to those opposed to the eviction of illegal settlers.

Indeed, the UN Environment Programme calls the Mau forest the single most important watershed in the Rift Valley and western Kenya. This is because rivers from the forest support agriculture, hydropower, urban water supply, tourism, rural livelihoods and wildlife habitat throughout much of Kenya.