State: No extension of Mau exit notice

Kericho governor Paul Chepkwony (right) at a past function. He has threatened to sue the government at the International Criminal Court over forceful evictions. [File, Standard]

The Government has said it will not extend the 60-day notice for those illegally living in the Mau forest to voluntarily vacate, even as a section of leaders asks settlers to stay put.

In August, the State issued the 10,000 families who have lived in the forest since the 1990s with a notice to leave. That deadline expires today.

Yesterday, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said more than 2,200 people have left the disputed 17,101-acre forest land, and another 1,100 had demolished their houses and left.

“Phase two of the Mau forest eviction will officially kick off today. I want to warn those planning to resist the eviction that the Government is prepared,” Mr Natembeya said. 

10 million trees

He added that plans to plant 10 million trees on the disputed land would start on November 1.

“We plan to start with three million tree seedlings at Sierra Leone area and then progress in the coming days.”

However, a section of politicians from South Rift have said if the eviction is not handled well, it would precipitate a humanitarian crisis. The leaders also criticised the court's decision that threw out a case by 35 lawyers and a lobby group seeking to stop the evictions. 

Speaking in Sigoronik village in Soin/Sigowet constituency at the funeral of a prominent elder, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang claimed the eviction is meant to put Deputy President William Ruto in an awkward position and let him pay for it politically.

Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony threatened to sue the Government at the International Criminal Court over forceful evictions.  

But another group of leaders from Narok County insisted the evictions must go on.

“The destruction of Mau forest has affected the ecosystem of the Maasai Mara Game reserve,” Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina said.