This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
On August 28, 2019, a heated debate over the MAU Forest eviction plans was sparked by Baringo politician Gilbert Kiptalam.
According to Kiptalam, the communities living in MAU forest are pretending to do farming but are actually exploiting the natural resources in the area.
He strongly supports the current plans by the government to evict Mau settlers, claiming that the only community that lived in the forest is the Ogiek community.
”Hakuna mkikuyu ambaye ni squater, hakuna mkalenjin ambaye ni aquater, turudi nyumbani tulime mashamba nyumbani. Hakuna haja mdanganyane hapa, mnajificha kwa hii msitu mkijifanya mnakima mahindi,” Kiptalam stated.
His statement has left many questioning the legitimacy of the current communities occupying the area.
