Kipsigis elders want the National Land Commission to issue title deeds to former Mau Forest evictees.
Council of Elders chairman Bishop (rtd) Paul Leleito said the land on which the former evictees were settled in Lelaitich area of Soin-Sigowet constituency had a title deed which the State should transfer to new owners.
Bishop Leleito was a member of a team tasked by the then grand coalition government to acquire the 450 acres of land formerly called Jaber farm, which belonged to former Member of Parliament Joab Omino.
The Government in its Mau Forest complex conservation programme, settled 800 of the forest evictees in the farm in Soin ward constituency at the border of Kericho and Kisumu County.
"I know that the farm has a title deed which alongside other land agreements I personally handed over to former land minister James Orengo," said Leleito.
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Elizabeth Maritim, a resident, said she needed a title deed for her 2.25 acres because she was tired of being threatened with eviction.
"We have suffered the pain of eviction before and for the last four years our neighbours from Kisumu County have been telling us that the land belongs to them," she said.
But even as the former evictees demanded title deeds, others complained that they had been condemned to an unproductive area with no basic facilities.
"We are forced to rely on water from the contaminated Kipchorian river, to which a local sugar processing company channels its waste," said Alice Kelong.
Lelaitich village elder Benson Arap Cheptiony called upon the government to construct a public hospital in the area and erect lightning arresters.
