This archive report was first published on 31 August 2019.
On August 31, 2019, Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko announced that the government would not provide compensation to individuals who had been evicted from the Mau forest.
Tobiko stated that those who had been evicted had done so illegally and therefore were not entitled to compensation. He warned leaders against politicizing environmental matters and dared anyone with legal ownership documents to present them before the ministry for compensation.
The government had given over 10,000 people in the Mau forest 60 days to voluntarily vacate the area or face eviction. A 10-member task-force had been appointed to oversee the second phase of the Mau eviction.
Tobiko emphasized the importance of protecting the Mau forests, which serve as critical water catchment areas. He accused some leaders of politicizing the Mau issue for their own selfish gains.
