Mathias Ringa
13 August 2009
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.
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This is marvellous - President Kibaki has been too quiet about this issue like all other issues affecting Kenyans. He has allowed the Prime Minister to carry the whole burden of the Mau alone, yet he is the Head of State.
The solution to Mau Forest is steely political will. The closer we get to 2012, the more difficult it will become to get these squatters out. Lead from the front Mr President. Now tell us when will the evictions begin? After all, it happed n Mt Kenya, Aberdares and other |Kenyan Forests.
Tell us, when...??
I need some concerned Keyans to comment on my article about the gratuitious or unwarranted or, better still, baseless statement made by the Keyan Prime Minister Odinga against Secy Clinton's call for democracy in Africa. I'm not a Keyan,but I think all concerned Africans must be involved with matters that are important about this dark continent as a way of introducing light to it. I need to hear from a Keyan; and I'll be back tomorrow to read about Africa and subsequint comments.
One thing I must say: Prime Minister Odinga is a dope. He must not be a sell out for personnel gains; if he do, he's seriously going to regret it. I am kindly advicing him to read and learn from past ugly faces in Africa who think power is God giving to them and they can do anything they pleases to do. Please remember that we are NO more in the dark ages; and even a little child can say something that hurts. Therefore my ONLY and Single advice to him is that : a person who's strickly there for his people regardless of tribe in a country will last in his position. The ONLY person that was close to perfection in this situation was Jesus Christ. So, will there be a leader who will be there for ALL AFRICANS without being blind to his/her people needs and wants?????
This article is about the recent statement by Mr. Odinga the Kenyan Prim Minister, during Secy Clinton's visit to the continent to promote democrcy for the good of Africa as a whole and for few African countries in particular. Mr Odinga subcontiously (but not surprising)reacted to Secy Clinton's call for democracy in Kenya with negativism.He even eronously compared the Al Gore- George Bush U.S . presidential election with what transpired in Kenyan bloody and disastrous presidential election. Mr. oodinga says that Secy Clinton must not "lecture" Africa about Democracy because Africans know what to do for themselves. This is a blatent lie, Mr Odinga; you're saying that because you're now in power where you wanted to be at the expense of some thousand and more lives of poor Kenyans.The Gore- Bush election did not cause a single human life; and this is where you are wrong in comparing U.S. election to Kenya's. If Africans knew what to do for themselves as you profess,they would respect presidential term limit and excecise peaceful transition of power, and that's why you sacrificed thopusands of Kenyan lives and blood to get to where you are today. Now that you've got what you always wanted, you've forgotten how you got it and how you got there. The World listens, and when you'll making those political statements , think twice and organize your talks. Thank you,Sir, and do not throw Secy Clinton good efforts in breeze.
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Active Discussions: Tension Grows Over Mau Forest