A man walks through a depleted section of Mau Forest in Nessuit area. The Kenyan Government plans to evict illegal settlers from Mau Forest Complex. (Photo Courtesy Joseph Kiheri/Nation)

Nairobi — Kenya's President Kibaki on Thursday ordered the arrest of all those settled in water catchment areas, including the Mau Forest.

In an uncharacteristically firm statement, Mr Kibaki warned those who encroach on water towers that they would face the law.

"The government shall take action against people who destroy forests. Such people should not be spared at all, they should be arrested and charged with immediate effect," President Kibaki ordered.

Lakes in retreat

The President spoke a day after Water Minister Charity Ngilu revealed that Kenya was now one of the most water-poor countries in the world, with 647 cubic metres of water for every person in a year.

Rivers have dwindled up and down the country and lakes are in retreat. Water reservoirs for electricity generation are at their lowest levels in more than 70 years.

As a result, electricity is being rationed, with many families without electricity three days in a week. The country is in one of its most severe crises, with the government having to provide water and food to 4.5 million drought-hit people.

Whereas all water sources have been destroyed to one extent or the other, the most brazen slash-and-burn has taken place in the Mau Forest, a complex of 22 forests from which many of Kenya's rivers originate.

The Mau was first attacked in the 1980s, the excuse given being the settlement of the Ogiek, a community of hunter-gatherers.

But powerful people in the government of retired President Moi, including members of his family, according to a list table in Parliament, moved in and allocated themselves large tracts, some which they sold.

In the ensuing frenzy, the forest was allocated to people by junior officers of the provincial administration and Forest Department.

Title deeds were issued against land that was not properly allocated, no doubt because the beneficiaries were senior people, such as permanent secretaries and top Lands officials.

The government, in an effort to conserve the forest but deal with the settlers humanely, has offered compensation to all those with genuine title deeds.

But Rift Valley MPs, a powerful lobby because their province is vote-rich, have insisted that all settlers, irrespective of how they got their land must be paid before leaving.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who has played a lead role in resolving the issue, has held a series of meetings with the MPs who have aggressively opposed him.

Two weeks ago, 15 MPs from the province, led by Agriculture minister William Ruto, met the President to discuss the forest evictions and national healing.

The MPs wanted an assurance from the President that settlers will be paid compensation before they are asked to leave and that they will not be evicted.

But speaking on Thursday at Mkomani Grounds in Mombasa before he officially opened the Mombasa International Show, the President told the MPs to stop complaining about the planned Mau evictions.

"When action is taken against your relative or your neighbour who destroy forests, you should stop murmuring. The effects of deforestation are affecting the life of every Kenyan.

"We must, therefore, conserve our forests by all means to combat drought, which has caused severe famine and lack of water. The idea of conserving Mau forest and other water catchment areas must be embraced by all citizens."

When Mr Ruto invited the President to speak, he first touched on the wanton destruction of water towers by people who encroach on forests before he read his speech.