Ntimama furious over Mau Narok evictions

Saturday, 26 March 2011 00:03 BY ISAAC ONGIRI

CABINET minister William ole Ntimama has demanded the immediate removal of Rift Valley PC Osman Warfa over claims that he ordered more than 300 policemen to evict residents from a disputed farm in Mau Narok.
Addressing the press at Parliament buildings yesterday, Ntimama said the PC ordered the police to shoot residents who resisted eviction from Rose Farm in Mau Narok. The government wants to settle IDPs on the land which is also claimed by the Maasai community.
Ntimama claimed police arrested 35 people in the area after raiding the farm on Thursday.“They raided Rose Farm, broke into manyattas and arrested people. This is unfair and we feel it is a violation of the people’s rights,” Ntimama said.
He said the community will not allow IDPs to be settled on the land, saying the decision to settle them there was done without consulting the locals.“The PC has been instructed by some people at the Office of the President to molest and bully residents of Mau Narok.We want to ask that Warfa be removed from Rift Valley,”Ntimama said.
Ntimama said that the residents will now demand that the PC leaves or be ejected from the Rift Valley if no action is taken against him.“We are not going to allow people who have land elsewhere to be transferred here.Transffering people including criminals from one place to the other will not be tolerated,”Ntimama said.
Ntimama said he will defend the rights of the Maasai and warned the government that it’s continued intimidation and violation of the rights of the Maa people will no longer be tolerated.