December 30, 2013
The fate of 15,000 squatters who face eviction from government forests in Elgeyo Marakwet County will be determined by the High Court next month.
The government was to evict the squatters this week but they got a reprieve when Justice Fred Ochieng ordered that a case they filed at the court be heard on January 21st.
Some of the families who face the eviction moved to the court following orders by the area County Commissioner Arthur Osiya that they be be evicted from the forests if they will not leave voluntarily.
The 21 days notice he issued to the squatters to quit from the forests has since expired but they will remain in the forests until the matter is heard by the judge.
Justice Ochieng issued an injunction stopping the eviction after an application filed by Lawyer Thomas Openda for the families. They squatters want the state to give them more time so that they prepare to vacate from the forests later.
“We can’t move out without proper plans. We have to look for alternative areas where we will settle and the government should give us time to do so,” said Joel Kangogo, who is the squatters’ representatives.
The families have temporary shelter in sevaral areas including Sinen, Kewabus, Kapkok, Kamologon/Kabusien, Kessom, Karopokwen/Mayokwo and Kaptirbai.
“My clients are demanding that they should not be removed from forests because some of them have have not even been compensated to enable them buy land,” said Openda.
He said the government officials should be humane and stop evicting them from the forests. However the government has said the families will be forcefully evicted. Osiya said the squatters were each paid Sh400,000 for resettlement.
“The squatters have to leave the forest or police will move in to evict them when the time comes,” he said. Osiya said some of the families in the forest received cheques from President Uhuru Kenyatta to buy alternative land only to continue staying in makeshift structures.
“The government can not allow anyone to frustrate the government’s efforts to conserve forests. They have to vacate and we have already issued firm orders to police if they do not leave the forest as ordered,” he said. Osiya says the squatters will eventually be evicted from the forests.
Source: The Star
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