This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
September 2, 2019, marked a tense day in Maasai Mau forest as police officers patrolled the area, following intelligence that some residents were planning to resist the looming evictions.
According to Acting Narok County Commissioner Mutuku Mwenga, security officers were on standby in case security threats emerged, after the government issued a 60-day notice to vacate the forest land or face forceful eviction.
Mr. Mwenga warned that anyone found in the area after the elapse of the window period would face the full force of the law, but some locals denied claims that they were arming themselves and instead accused police of harassment.
John Lang'at, a resident of Sierra Leone, alleged that some officers were forcing them out despite the window period being in place, and that most of them still had crops in the farm and anytime they tried to go and harvest them, they were turned away.
Environment CS Keriako Tobiko had ruled out any compensation for the affected, and the phase two evictions were targeting over 10,000 people.
