Mau Forest settlers demand compensation

By KIPCHUMBA KEMEI

KENYA: Over 15,000 families that lay claim to the 264,800-hectare Maasai Mau Forest want the government to compensate them before they can move out. And they want to be compensated at market rate; Sh250,000 per acre because the land is fertile.

“We bought our land on a willing seller-willing buyer basis. We should not be treated like squatters, like those from the South West Mau who were last week given money to buy land elsewhere,” said William Cheruiyot, their spokesperson.

He said yesterday that they were willing to leave the place they have called home since 1998, adding that they were tired of being used as pawns whenever elections were called.

The settlers were first kicked off the land in 2005, but were allowed back in 2007 by retired President Mwai Kibaki when he was seeking re-election to a second and final term.

Attempts by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to have them removed and given land elsewhere to pave way for rehabilitation and conservation of the forest were met with resistance from settlers and a section of Rift Valley MPs.

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The families say they want to be compensated instead of being given land elsewhere. They also want the government to compensate them for the property they lost in 2005, when they were forcefully evicted.

 “In the raid, our houses, granaries where we had stored food, including maize, churches and schools were burnt. We were not given the option  to leave voluntarily. The government should compensate us for the loss and our land at market prices,” said John Sanguta. 

Francis Nkako, a member of the Mau Forest Steering Committee, said his team had requested Sh3 billion to resettle the families, but Treasury had not responded.