This archive report was first published on 5 September 2019.
On September 5, 2019, the Senate summoned Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko over the planned eviction of over 60,000 families in the Maasai Mau forest.
The Senate's Justice and Human Rights Committee, chaired by Senator Samson Cherargei, wants Mr. Tobiko and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) management and board to justify a 60-day ultimatum issued for residents to vacate the country's largest water tower.
Senator Cherargei stated, 'In the meantime, we are summoning Keriako Tobiko to appear before Senate's Justice and Human Rights Committee next Wednesday to justify his one-man show in Mau in total disregard of the rights of people residing there.'
The Government has deployed a multi-agency team to flush out illegal settlers who have encroached on the Maasai Mau section of the water catchment area.
However, the Government has relaxed an order for the closure of 15 schools in the disputed forest land until after the closure of the third term that coincides with the 60-day eviction ultimatum.
Senator Cherargei demanded that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto come clean and state their position on the matter, stating, 'I demand that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto come clean and state their position on this matter. We shall not keep on speculating on whether the promise to those voters in Mau trust land has changed.'
The Nandi senator argued that events in Mau were against human rights, especially the right to own property as enshrined in Article 40 of the Constitution.
