Religious Leaders support eviction of Mau Forest invaders

Narok,

Monday October 2, 2023

KNA by Ann Salaton

Religious leaders in Narok County have supported President Dr. William Ruto’s tough talk on conservation of Mau forest to curb effects of climate change.

The leaders led by Narok AIPCA Bishop Dickson Ole Nkoitiko said the side effects of climate change were affecting the whole world, hence every individual had an obligation to conserve the environment.

“It is the duty of every single person to plant trees in their premises but not to cut them down without a clear plan. All of us should be motivated to conserve the environment by planting trees,” he said.

Reverend Francis Kipai of Full Gospel Churches of Kenya supported the protection of the mega water catchment land saying it is the source of livelihood flora and fauna.

President Dr. Ruto while attending a burial in the county on Saturday ordered immediate eviction of illegal evaders of Mau Forest and announced the intention of his administration to fence off all water towers across the country.

The President’s remarks follow a tour by Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Dr. Abdi Hassan in the forest land where he announced that over 23, 000 hectares of the forest land had been encroached.

The RC accused the state officers for collaborating with the encroachers who cut down trees under their watch to open up farming land, hence threatening the existence of the mega water catchment land.

In 2018/2019, the government evicted over 35,000 people from the forest land in Sierra Leone and Nkoben areas in Narok South Sub County.

In the efforts of protecting the forest land, the government through Kenya Water towers put up a 30-kilometer electric fence at Nkoben and Sierra Leone part of the forest.

The evictions at the Maasai Mau forest have since begun with the government set to give the official report on the eviction progress in the course of the week.

Courtesy; KNA