NAIROBI, May 29 – Deputy President William Ruto has told the Azimio Presidential aspirant Raila Odinga not to ‘incite and hoodwink’ the Maa electorate using the Mau Forest eviction issue.
Ruto stated that the government evictions in 2019 is no longer political fodder as leaders traverse in search of votes.
Raila is on record of taking credit over the Mau evictions saying that his handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta is what made it possible.
“I want to tell the kitendwali man (Raila odinga) because it seems he is confused. Us people in Narok have already concluded the Mau matter. You kitendawili man look for another business and pledge. Issues of Narok and Mau we have concluded,” said Ruto.
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate says all that is left is the fencing the Mau Forest and resolving the land issues in Kedong and Rose Farm which he says will be ultimately be concluded.
“Because we have concluded the Mau issue what is left is the Rose Farm and here in Kedong Farm. This is so that the initial owners of the land property will be given back their land and the government will pay for that. That property will go back to the Maasai people,” Ruto said.
“You kitendawili man please we are tired of your incitement. Look for another business and agenda,” he added.
The eviction done in 2019 saw the government reclaim over 22,000 hectares of land in the area.
After the eviction, Ruto is said to have bought a section of the homeless evictees a total of three acres in Tendwet, Olmekenyu and Sagamian and built them temporary houses.
The Mau forest eviction made Odinga a darling of the Narok Maasai community while it drew an edge between him and the Kalenjin community.
Mau Forest Complex is a water tower for 10 million Kenyans. But illegal settlement and deforestation have destroyed 24 percent, or 107,000 hectares (264,000 acres), of its trees over 20 years.
