State to resettle 3,000 Mau forest evictees

Some of the families stranded after their houses were demolished in the ongoing Maasai Mau Forest evictions at Sasimwani Village in Narok North. [File, Standard]

The government plans to resettle 3,000 families that were evicted from the Maasai Mau forest in Narok.

Narok North MP Agnes Pareyio said President William Ruto has directed a team from the Ministry of Lands, Environment and Forestry to start enlisting the families.

"The families will be resettled in the same forest land, where they were evicted in three blocks renamed A, B, and C located in Olokuto division," said Pareyio.

She noted that the families were evicted from Eneng'etia, Olopirik, Naitupaki, Olkurto, and Medung'i.

"I was elected on a Jubilee ticket but decided to work with the ruling party, UDA. I have not regretted it because I see fruits from the government every day. Those who thought I was lost should be informed that we are benefiting more from UDA than from the opposition, and resettling these families is one of the fruits we thank President Ruto for it," she said.

In September last year, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Abdi Hassan ruled out compensation or resettlement of the Maasai Mau forest evictees.

Dr Hassan said that nearly 23,000 acres of the Maasai Mau forest had been invaded by encroachers.

He noted than among the property that was destroyed were 20 permanent structures and two schools that were built in the forest.

In 2018, the state evicted people from Kosia and in 2019, from Sierra Leone, Chebitet, and adjacent sections and they were living in camps adjacent to the forest before they were compensated.