Tension is high among the settlers in the 46,000-hectare Maasai Mau forest barely a week after Deputy President William Ruto ordered those who encroached beyond the cutline to move out.
Settlers living at Kosia, Septonok and Nkoben part of the Mau forest under the management of the Narok County government have however raised concern over their fate following the eviction notice given to them.
“We are living in uncertainty here. Since the DP Ruto announced that those living beyond the cutline will be moved, we have been issued with threats all over from security agencies. As far as we are concerned we are in the settlement area,” said Benard Sang, Mau settlers Association Chairman.
The settlers said while they were in support of the DP Ruto’s announcement, the government should come clear on the cutline since there is no clear boundary separating the Maasai Mau forest from the settlement area.
On Sunday this week during a church service at Sogoo High School in Narok South, DP Ruto asked those who encroached into the forest to move out and promised title deeds for the legal settlers living away from the forest.
The 270 households living at Kosia claim that few days ago a joint operation officers comprised of Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and County askaris recently issued them with ‘ridiculous’ 12-hour vacation notice.
The Maasai Mau section Commander Patrick ole Kilai has however refuted claims that they ordered them out saying they were still waiting for eviction orders saying what they were doing was their normal patrols for illegal forest destruction.
“When the settlers were evicted in the Olposimoru gazette forest which is under the national government in 2015, they moved to Maasai Mau Trust land and settled here. So far we have stopped any new felling of cedar trees which has been a threat to ecosystem,” said Kilai.
He however said they were in the process of sensitizing the illegal settlers living beyond the cutline to vacate at their own pace before the eviction orders are issued against them.
The squatters' spokesman Mr Sang decried that they have been victims of bad politics and want the issue resolved once and for all.
"In 2002 election we voted. In 2005, we were evicted by the Kibaki government. Again we voted in 2007 election. The following year were evicted from Tekeek, Kass Fm areas. We voted Jubilee in 2013 and in 2015 another eviction came. Same story after 2017. Are we lesser Kenyans?" posed Sang.
DP Ruto’s sentiments have however generated mixed reactions with a section of Maasai leaders criticizing his move to issue title deeds to a section of the squatters.
Narok North MP Moitalel ole Kenta termed DP’s sentiments as ‘double-speak’ saying those who were evicted in 2005 were there illegally and issuing them title deeds was counterproductive.
“We want all those who encroached into the Maasai Mau forest to be evicted. The DP cannot tell us that some will be give title deeds yet it is clear that they encroached into the forest,” lamented the legislator.
Mr Ruto who spoke a week ago said the government had allocated Sh100Million to rebuild 15 schools that were demolished in the 2005 evictions and that the settlers shall be issued with title deeds.
