Narok South DC Chimwaga Mongo said new setters who have invaded a section of the forest that is under the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) should move out or be forcefully evicted.
“All the squatters who have settled in Olpusimoru Forest Reserve which a Government gazetted forest in the section of Maasai Mau should demolish their structures, uproot their crops, remove their livestock and move out before they are evicted,” said Mongo who added there will be no further quit notice.
The DC issued the order after meeting with the squatters who lay claim to the forest land at Sierra Leone area.
He said those living in the section that was under the defunct Narok County Council will not be affected and asked them to assist in identifying illegal squatters.
“Those who are waiting for either compensation or resettlement will not be affected. But they should assist in ensuring that further destruction does not take place,” he further directed during a tense meeting in the forest.
He added that boundaries between the Government section of the forest and that under the former Narok County Council will be marked saying that the absence of boundaries was responsible for massive encroachment.
Mongo added the profiling exercise of genuine squatters was complete and asked them guard against aiding further encroachment of the vital water tower in the country.
Before the last General Election a group of armed and rowdy youth blocked administration police from accessing the forest to demolish new settlements in the Government controlled section of forest.
In 2005, more than 15, 000 families were forcefully kicked out of the forest before being allowed back by president Kibaki in 2007 when he was seeking re-election. The Government has conducted verification exercise of the claimants’ title deeds.
William Cheruiyot, the settlers spokesperson assured the DC that there would be no further encroachment and pleaded with new squatters to move out for the sake of environmental conservation and cordial relationship between the Government and genuine settlers.
