This archive report was first published on 5 September 2019.
Kenya: Mau Evictions a Scheme to Prevent DP From Top Seat, Allies Claim ¶
Deputy President William Ruto's allies in the Jubilee Party have accused the government of politically instigating the Mau evictions to prevent him from becoming the president in 2022.
The claims were made by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng'eno, and Konoin MP Brighton Yegon, who spoke to the Nation separately.
According to them, the March 9, 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga was the first deliberate attempt to curtail Dr Ruto's rise to power, closely followed by the fight against corruption, and now the Mau evictions.
"It is not even about tribes or regions, but about a few individuals who are power hungry... and the issue of referendum, lifestyle audit, corruption propaganda and now the Mau issue are all targeted at one person," Senator Cherargei said.
He added that the calls for a referendum and lifestyle audits were not in good faith, as they also target Dr Ruto.
"The evictions are a targeted campaign against the Deputy President to prevent him from becoming the president in 2022," he said.
Mr Ng'eno and Mr Yegon echoed his sentiments, saying that the people in the region could read the political gimmicks in the Mau eviction.
"Sadly, as the senior government officers engage in politics and setting up others to fall, the children are subjected to untold suffering," Mr Ng'eno said.
Meanwhile, Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok and nominated Jubilee MP David Sankok have initiated a process to bring together Maasai and Kalenjin leaders to address the issue.
"We have agreed that we seek leaders from the two communities to dialogue for the sake of unity and find a lasting solution to the conservation issue," said Dr Barchok.
Mr Sankok said: "Political bickering, fighting over what should and should not be done, who is wrong or right without coming to a round table to defuse tension and find a lasting solution will not help the people who are suffering on the ground,"
On Wednesday, Mr Ng'eno and two Narok County assembly members were released from police custody on Sh150,000 police bond each after spending more than seven hours in police cells.
However, Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya said they were released because their file had been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Noordin Haji, for review.
Already, hundreds of settlers have continued to leave the areas that have been declared forest land by Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko.
Additional reporting by George Sayagie.
