MAU PHASE 3

The third phase of evicting illegal settlers in the Mau Forest will have to wait until a report by a legal subcommittee formed to vet genuine title deed holders from fake holders completes investigations and tables its findings.

Forestry Minister Noah Wekesa said the subcommittee is currently carrying out investigations to establish occupants who are either original allotees or third party owners, and is expected to make its findings known in the next three to four weeks.

The third phase will see the eviction of persons some of whom have genuine titles whereas some are original allotees or third party owners.

The evictions target the Maasai Mau in which Ol Pusimoru and the expansive Kiptagich Tea Factory partly owned by former President Daniel Moi are located.

This is deemed to be the most difficult part of the evictions as many of the occupants have title deeds.

The government has so far reclaimed over 60,000 hectares of land in the Mau and subsequently planted some 20,000 seedlings in an exercise that was launched last Friday by Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The Interim Coordinating Secretariat (ICS) ICS chairman Hassan Noor Hassan said he would announce a date for the commencement of the evictions.

Hassan also said the fourth phase of evictions would be aimed at recovering 61,000 hectares of former forest land in Marioshoni, Mauche, Teret, Nessuit, Likia and Bararget.