Council minutes prove Moi right on tea farm

By Kipchumba Kemei

Details have emerged of how former President Moi acquired the land neighbouring Mau Forest complex in early 1978.

Documents obtained by The Standard show the land occupied by Kiptagich Tea Estate was never part of the complex.

The documents that include minutes for the full council meeting chaired by then Narok County Council Chairman William ole Ntimama (now Heritage Minister) passed the resolution to allocate the land to Mr Moi.

The minutes indicated the former President made a formal request to the local authority.

Moi was then Vice-President, contrary to claims he used his influence as Head of State to acquire the land.

He was allocated 933 hectares, about 2,333 acres at Kiptagich area, formerly called Elpontol.

The minutes further show the land was then trust land under the county council before Kenya Forest Service took over several years ago.

Councillors Shadrack Rotiken and William Yeile proposed and seconded the request by Moi respectively.

In later years, both councillors became chairmen of the civic body.

A buffer zone

It is said the then Vice-President Moi made the land request through prominent Maasai leaders including the late Senior Chief Lerionka ole Ntutu, Ntimama and late ministers Stanley Oloitiptip and Justus ole Tipis.

It is said they later, together with Moi and Narok leaders privy to the deal, over flew the forest to survey where Moi would plant tea.

The tea bushes later became a buffer zone that has up to now deterred settlements in the now controversial forest where the Government has embarked on an exercise to kick off settlers.

The Government embarked on an exercise to conserve the Mau water tower and has so far evicted more than 2,000 families in the South West part of the Mau.

The second phase of the eviction exercise targets Kiptagich, Likia, Mauche and adjacent areas.

Documents from the Narok council indicate the forest was gazetted as a trust land in 1957.

The Heritage Minister was quoted on Monday saying the council was arm-twisted into allocating the land. But Mr Rotiken, who proposed during the council meeting that Moi be allocated the land, defended the deal.

The former county chairman said yesterday that there was no arm-twisting or manipulation of any kind.

"Moi was given land on request and the allocation was legal and binding," he told The Standard.

He urged the Government to respect the retired President and let him enjoy his retirement peacefully.

Olpusimoru Ward Councilor Wilson Masikonde also absolves Moi of accusations he used his influence to acquire the land.

Emotive issue

He says: "The retired President did not use his office or influence to acquire land in Mau as it is alleged. He was allocated by Narok County Council after he made formal request."

While attending a church service in Litein last Sunday, the former President said the council regularly allocated the land to him.

Moi asked the Government to approach the land issue with sobriety, as it was emotive.

Masikonde observes that were it not for Moi’s idea to set up Nyayo Tea Zones around the Mau Complex, the forest would have been encroached and completely cleared.