16 November 2009
Nairobi — The Kenyan Government has refuted claims that the evictions of settlers from the Mau Forest are inhuman. The government has not gone back on its word and those leaving the forest were provided with transport and food, Forestry and Wildlife minister Dr Noah Wekesa said in a statement released on Monday evening.
He also accused leaders from the region of politicising the process. "The people who moved out have been provided with transport to take them where they would like to go. Livelihood support is already on ground to cater for all encroachers for at least one month," said Dr Wekesa. He made the remarks as the Kenya Forest Services started evicting squatters still lingering in the Mau Forest.
Those ejected joined nearly 2,000 now camping in three temporary camps after moving out of the dwellings in the South Western Mau. A team of forest service rangers moved deeper into the forest at Tinet where the settlers were persuaded to move out.
The armed officers did not use any force but talked to the concerned families and even helped them transport their belonging in their trucks. KFS trucks streamed out of the forest, carrying mainly women and children as men drove their animals and others carted households on donkey backs.
The operation got under way as the first form of humanitarian assistance started trickling in for the families staying in the cold in the temporary structures. A team of Red Cross personnel arrived at Kapkembu on Monday afternoon and proceeded to distribute what they termed "non-food items" - blankets, soaps and mosquito nets to the families.
However, the plight of the displaced families was worsened by heavy rains the whole afternoon. A visit by the Nation to camps in Kapkembu, Saino, Ndoinet, Tiriita and Kipkongor last week found that none of the arrangements promised by Forestry minister was in place.
Dr Wekesa said the eviction of settlers would continue as similar evictions had been undertaken in Mt Kenya, Mt Elgon, Cherangany and Aberdares. "People have been removed from Embobut Forest in Marakwet and Marmanet Forest in Nyahururu... Our appeal to all Kenyans is to support the government's conservation efforts as they are not targeted to any community," said Dr Wekesa.
As of Sunday evening, said the minister, 1,674 squatters had left the forest in Chematich, Olenguruone, Kapkembu and Saino. Former Keiyo South MP Nicholas Biwott described the situation in Mau as grave and urged the government to urgently assist the families who were camped by the roadside.
Mr Biwott, who visited the area, said the government should keep its part of the bargain after the squatters heeded its message to voluntarily leave Mau. "It was agreed that the plight of these people should be handled with a humane face. I urge the Red Cross to move in and help these families with food, tents, blankets, clothing and medicine," said the National Vision Party leader.
Meanwhile, people who were evicted from forests in the North Rift in 2003 have demanded to be resettled. The victims said the government had promised to allocate them alternative land at Ainabkoi settlement scheme immediately after vacating the forest - a pledge that was yet to be honoured as they continue to live in makeshift tents by the roadside.
Representatives of the more than 10,000 families from the Ogiek community said they were subjected to hunger, diseases and many of their children have dropped out of school due to the difficult living conditions. Through the Ogiek Welfare Council lobby group, they demanded an immediate suspension of the ongoing Mau evictions until a lasting solution for forest dwellers was addressed to avert further humanitarian crisis.
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