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President William Ruto has assured all those evicted from the Mau forest that the government will resettle them.
Maintaining that ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the forest would continue, Ruto said he has tasked Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya to ensure the ecosystem is fenced and more trees planted.
This, he said, will ensure the forest is protected.
“Wale wote ambao walitoka ndani ya Mau forest tutawapanga na makao mengine pia wajitafutie riziki zao,” said Ruto.
(We are going to resettle all those who moved out of the forest so that they can also lead normal lives as other Kenyans).
Ruto made the remarks during an interdenominational church service in Narok.
It was the first time Ruto was publicly disclosing about the plan which saw thousands of families evicted from the water tower over four years ago.
While speaking in Narok then serving as the Deputy President, Ruto maintained that no evictees will be allowed to return to the forest.
He did not, however, talk about any resettlement plans.
“Those who were in the forest illegally have been evicted and the government will not allow anyone to return to the forest. Those spreading rumours about it have missed the point,” Ruto said in 2021.
On the controversial Kedong ranch, the head of state directed the Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu and Lands Cabinet Secretary Zacharia Njeru to urgently resolve the matter.
He said as Kenya Kwanza they made a promise to the people of Narok which must be delivered.
“We have every intention to deliver our pledge there,”he stated.
There has been disputes over the ownership of the 75,000-acre land which according to the locals was grabbed under the former administration.
Last year, a section of Maasais invaded the land threatening to forcefully repossess it.