George Sayagie and Sollo Kiragu
23 July 2008
Nairobi — Two MPs Tuesday differed in public over the Government's decision to evict squatters from Mau Forest by the end of October this year.
Kuresoi's Zakayo Cheruiyot and his Molo counterpart Joseph Kiuna took different positions over the matter.
Mr Cheruiyot termed the decision harassment of citizens.
He said those living in the forest were genuinely settled there by the government.
Addressing victims of the post-election violence and their neighbours at Gacharage village in Kuresoi, Mr Cheruyiot called on those living in the forest to ignore the deadline.
But Mr Kiuna wants those living in the forest to be removed right away.
Speaking at Mutate Primary School in Elburgon, the Molo MP said most of the land beneficiaries were powerful people in the previous government, who also allocated land to their supporters.
Mr Kiuna said the Government should extend the eviction programme to other areas where forest cover was under threat.
Leased to him
Meanwhile, Buret MP Franklin Bett Tuesday denied that he was among the beneficiaries of land in Mau Forest as indicated in the Ndung'u report.
He said the plot in question was leased to him by the Forest Department, and not allocated to him. "There is no time the land in question has been allocated to me."
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