This archive report was first published on 2 September 2019.
On September 2, 2019, the second phase of Mau Forest evictions kicked off, displacing thousands of people and sparking controversy in Kenya.
According to reports, the government is seeking to reclaim approximately 17,000 acres of land, a move that has raised political temperatures in the country.
The first phase of evictions conducted last year led to the eviction of over 10,000 families, leaving many without homes or livelihoods.
Security officers were deployed to maintain order as residents were forced to leave their homes and encroached land.
Residents were seen hurrying to evict the land amid a contingent of security officers, a scene captured by The Standard's Joseph Kipsang.
Political leaders from the Rift Valley Region have dismissed the closure of 15 schools in the area, citing that they were illegally set up in the forest land.
The state has embarked on the eviction targeting 60,000 people in Narok North and South, leaving many to suffer.
