The government has released Sh2.6 billion compensation to families evicted from south-west Mau Forest in Narok county.
A caveat on private farmlands around Mau forest - both in Nakuru, Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties has also been lifted by the Ministry of Lands.
In a broader move to resolve land ownership conflicts, the government has bought 5,800-acre land at Kaplelach area in Narok South to resettle families who forcibly took over, sub-divided and settled on the property belonging to former Provincial Commissioner the late Isaiah Cheluget.
President William Ruto announced on Wednesday that each of the 13,000 families will be given Sh200,000 as compensation by the government. The money was released on Wednesday to the beneficiaries.
A total of 28,000 families had registered with the government as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the area following the eviction by security agencies leading to an electric fence being erected around the affected sections of the forest.
The fate of 15,000 of the families who have been locked out as a result of a verification process that was done by administrators and the ministry of Lands before the final list was compiled is now in limbo.
"Each of the 13,000 families will be given Sh200,000 by the government as compensation as we close the years of suffering for the Mau evictees," Dr Ruto said.
Dr Ruto said another 2,000 families who were living in IDP camps had earlier been compensated by the government with their case having been dire.
The government gave the families Sh300,000 each two years ago as the IDP camps in Narok South constituency were demolished bringing an end to the years of suffering.
Dr Ruto was speaking at Tendwet primary school grounds in Narok South constituency as he closed his two-day tour of Narok county which saw him traverse Narok North, Narok South, Narok West, and Emurua Dikirr.
Two constituencies - Narok East and Kilgoris - were not covered in the tour where several goodies for the county were announced by the President.
"People who lived in IDP camps were rained on and their children died of severe weather conditions. It is unfortunate that they had to endure all that" Dr Ruto said.
He said, "We are closing the chapter on Mau Forest eviction today. It is no longer going to be a political question in the next and subsequent general election"
"I promised ahead of the 2022 general election that as my competitors raised the Mau question, that I had the answer to the Mau issues. The answer of which I am here to deliver with the compensation to the families who were evicted" Dr Ruto stated.
"The eviction issue has been with us for several years and families have lost their loved ones in the IDP camps. We will close that chapter today with the compensation" Dr Ruto said.
The first eviction was done in 2005 during former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration and in 2019 during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure.
Despite repeated promises to resettle the families, the government had not fulfilled it in the last 14 years.
A caveat that was placed by the Ministry of Lands a few years ago on land around Mau Forest, he said had since been lifted as part of the measures to resolve the land ownership issues in the South Rift Valley region.
“The caveat on land owned by families around Mau Forest complex was lifted last week by the Ministry of Lands and the people are now free to use their title deeds to secure loans from financial institutions to develop their land” Dr Ruto said.
Residents of the region have been holding on to land title deeds which were not legally recognised by the government, but a recent survey which demarcated the forest and private land had resolved the issues.
He revealed that the Narok county government had been given the title deed of the south-west Mau Forest after the boundaries were demarcated.
Dr Ruto stated that the government had also bought the 5,800-acre land belonging to former Provincial Commissioner Isaiah Cheluget to resettle families that invaded and settled on the land almost 30 years ago.
The more than 600 families had moved to court seeking to take possession of the land, but the Magistrates court, the High Court and Court of Appeal all returned the verdict that the land belonged to the Cheluget family.
The Chelugets were however unable to evict the families and utilize the property after being evicted with their properties destroyed and cattle taken away by the invaders who turned violent.
To resolve the matter, the government agreed to buy the property and the Cheluget family has handed over the title deed to the Ministry of Lands.
In Emurua Dikirr, drama unfolded as supporters of newly elected Member of Parliament Dacid Kipsang Keter and those of his archrival Mr Benard Ngeno alias Bulu, fought to catch the eye of the President.
The two sides chanted in support of their leader with those supporting Mr Keter waving United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party colours while those of Mr Ngeno waved blue headscarves.
“I want you as MP (Keter) to united the people who voted for you and those who did not support you. Reconcile them, provide leadership and ensure we move forward together as a people” Dr Ruto said at Emurua Dikirr Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
He said, “I do not want this kind of division that we are witnessing. I do not want to see this kind of rivalry in a region that is in dire need of development.”
President Ruto said the government will channel Sh 1.2 billion to construct hostels at Maasai Mara University campus in Emurua Dikirr whose construction he launched on Wednesday, which is named after former Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno who died in a helicopter crash on February 28 in Mosop, Nandi County.
He also announced that Sh230 million will be used to construct hostels at Emurua Dikirr KMTC where he will personally fund construction of 16 classrooms.
A water project at Kolonget village in the area is being constructed at a cost of Sh560 million while an additional Sh100 million will be allocated to extent the pipelines to villages.
A total of Sh2 billion has been channeled to construct 17 modern markets in Narok county where Sh2.8 billion has been channeled to rural electrification.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, nominated Senator Joyce Korir, Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu, Narok South MP Kitilai Ntutu, Emurua Dikirr MP David Keter, Narok East MP Lemanken Aramat, Kuresoi South MP Joseph Tonui, Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei, former Governor Samwel Tunai and former Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat said the government should assist the residents of the region to engage in agricultural diversification.
“Now that most of the land issues have been resolved, the government should give the residents coffee and sugar cane seedlings for diversification in agricultural production as part of economic empowerment” Senator Cheruiyot, said.
Residents of Narok county are livestock farmers and also engage in maize, wheat and potatoes farming both in subsistence and large scale.
