This archive report was first published on 30 August 2019.
Oscar Sudi Demands Uhuru Kenyatta Return Mau Forest Land to Kenyans ¶
On August 30, 2019, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to return land in Mau Forest to its rightful owners, accusing him of hypocrisy in evicting people who voted for him in 2017.
Sudi claimed that Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto had previously campaigned in the Mau Forest area, relying on the votes of its residents. He questioned why they were now evicting the same people, leaving them without a place to live.
"Wewe wakati hawa watu walikuwa wakifurushwa na Raila ulisimama ukawafanyia harambee, kuanzia 2012 na 2013 ulikuja ukaongea na hawa watu na wakakupigia kura, 2017 wakakupigia kura. Sasa ni nini imebadilika kwa sababu hutaki kura tena?" Sudi said.
Sudi also pointed out that Uhuru and Ruto had more than enough land to allocate to the evicted residents, citing the large tracts of land owned by Uhuru's family and the late Daniel arap Moi.
"Rais ukiskia sana unataka kufukuza watu wa Ma, mimi nataka nikuombe hivi...uko na shamba zaidi ya eka 50, 000, na Moi wako na shamba zaidi ya eka 2300 ya Kiptangich. Mtupee hii shamba wewe eka 7000 na Moi 2300 tusaidie hawatu kwa sababu hii mashamba mko nayo ni ya Wakenya si yenu," Sudi said.
As of now, the government has already closed 15 schools in the Mau Forest area in an effort to ensure that all residents are evicted. However, some politicians from the region have expressed concerns that the evictions could affect more than 60,000 people and lead to a humanitarian crisis.
