Government must put its act together on Mau

Reports that the Ministry of Lands is sending a team of surveyors to conduct a fresh survey on the controversial Mau Forest Complex is perplexing.

The ‘fresh’ survey of the Mau Forest complex is likely so send mixed signals and introduce another round of confusion.

Fresh boundaries would trigger fresh controversies and delay conservation efforts.

The Government moved in with a lot of enthusiasm late last year and evicted squatters. The resultant humanitarian crisis was overwhelming, throwing the entire exercise into a spin.

Apart from promises of resettling these people, not much has happened as they languish in roadside shelters.

The next phase of evictions that will target medium-to-large landowners is already mired in controversy about compensation.

Furthermore, it is not clear whether Government has got funds to compensate those who will be evicted and subsequent reforestation.

Herculean task

There needs to be better co-ordination of Mau Forest reclamation.

The Mau Forest Co-ordinating Committee and other agencies tasked with the Herculean task of reclaiming this important water generating forest need to put their act together.

We shouldn’t lose any time because soon the country will go into the 2012 General Election campaign mood when political expediency will overshadow conservation.