Mau forest evictees accuse Ruto of broken promises, demand urgent redress

Gideon Langat, 38, and Rose Chesurr, 40, Mau Forest evictees from Olmekenyu, have walked over 135 km in two days, now at Mai Mahiu, on a march to Nairobi's State House. [George Sayagie, Standard]

Some 13, 800 people displaced from the Mau Forest have accused William Ruto of reneging on promises to compensate and resettle them.

They accused the government of frustrating them over delayed payments.

The challenges have forced two of them to hold a dramatic protest march to the State House, Nairobi, to seek an audience with the Head of State.

The two representatives of the evictees — Gideon Langat, 38, and Rose Chesurr, 40 — are currently on a week-long trek from Narok South to State House, Nairobi, seeking a personal audience with the President.

Gideon Langat, 38, Mau Forest evictee from Olmekenyu, has walked over 135 km in two days, now at Mai Mahiu, on a march to Nairobi's State House. [George Sayagie, Standard]

By Tuesday, the pair had walked more than 180 kilometres past the Mai Mahiu escarpment, braving exhaustion and harsh weather conditions in what they describe as a final attempt to secure answers for 13,800 displaced families from the Maasai Mau region.

The two hail from Olmekenyu village in Amalo Sub-County, Narok County, one of the areas hardest hit by the 2019 evictions carried out during the government’s boundary restoration exercise in the expansive water tower.

Langat said the march was born out of desperation.

“As the delay persists, our living conditions are worsening. We face mounting health challenges, and educating our children has become increasingly difficult,” he said. “This journey to Nairobi is the only way we can demand answers and relief.”

Chesurr echoed the sentiment, describing years of uncertainty since their removal from the forest. Many families, she said, continue to live in temporary structures, struggling with food insecurity and lack of access to healthcare.

The protest march has also evolved into a grassroots fundraising effort, with the pair appealing to well-wishers along the route to help raise school fees for children from displaced households — a stark illustration of the economic distress facing the community.

In 2025, the State House announced that compensation for families evicted from the Maasai Mau Forest would commence following years of verification and budgetary planning.

During a presidential tour of Narok County last year, evictees say President Ruto assured them payments would be made by Christmas.

However, as of February 2026, many claim no funds have reached them.

The perceived delay has heightened tensions in Narok County, with some residents warning that the issue risks becoming politicised ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu has sought to reassure affected families, insisting that the government remains committed to a transparent and credible compensation process.

Speaking during a recent development tour of Olmekenyu Health Centre in Narok South, Ntutu said lists of verified beneficiaries — prepared by Nyumba Kumi elders, chiefs and the Assistant County Commissioner’s office — had been forwarded to State House.

“We have already received the list of those to be compensated. The payment is being compiled. Soon, you will receive it. I call for calm,” the governor said.

Ntutu noted that he personally oversaw the latest verification exercise to eliminate fraudulent claims and restore public confidence after earlier disbursements were criticised for irregularities. Compensation funds, he added, will be deposited directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts to reduce the risk of diversion.

Reflecting on a previous Sh600 million payout, the governor acknowledged concerns over mismanagement and pledged that the next phase would adhere to strict accountability standards.

Despite these assurances, many evictees dispute the integrity of the initial compensation phase, alleging that brokers and non-eligible individuals appeared on beneficiary lists while genuine victims were left out.

“It’s as if the system was designed to shut us out,” Chesurr said.

Such claims have fueled mistrust within the displaced community, with some demanding an independent audit of the verification process before further funds are released.

The humanitarian toll of the prolonged displacement remains severe. Residents cite hunger, inadequate shelter, untreated illnesses and, in some cases, deaths among vulnerable members of the community.

The compensation debate has also triggered sharp legal objections.

Lawyer Martin Ole Kamwaro, Deputy Secretary General of the DCP, argues that any move to compensate the settlers contradicts a 2022 ruling by the Environment and Lands Court (ELC).

In that decision, a three-judge bench found that the title deeds held by the settlers were irregularly issued and declared their occupation of the forest unlawful.

According to Kamwaro, the court ruled that the evicted families were not entitled to compensation or an alternative settlement.

“Under what law is the President acting to press for illegal settlers’ compensation?” he posed, urging adherence to the judicial determination.

The ruling has complicated the policy landscape, raising questions about the legal basis for compensation and whether humanitarian considerations can override the court’s findings.

The unfolding crisis is increasingly viewed through a political lens as the country edges toward the 2027 polls. Opposition leaders, including Rigathi Gachagua, have seized on the issue, criticising the government’s handling of the matter and pledging swift compensation should they assume power.

Analysts warn that the Mau question — long a flashpoint in Kenya’s environmental and land reform discourse — could re-emerge as a defining campaign issue in Narok and beyond.

For now, Langat and Chesurr continue their march to Nairobi, determined to place their grievances directly before the Head of State.

“We were promised relief,” Langat said. “All we are asking for is honesty, transparency, and justice.”

Whether their journey yields a meeting — or a breakthrough — remains to be seen.