Moi on Mau

Daniel arap Moi said on Sunday that the controversial Kiptagich tea processing factory in the Mau complex is owned by tea farmers.

Speaking at Liten sports ground, Moi said he only owns only 25 percent of the shares while the rest belong to farmers.

He said he was allocated the tea estate by the Narok County Council to act as a buffer zone following his efforts to conserve the forest by planting tea along forest lines in parts of Kericho, Meru, Muranga under the Nyayo tea Zones.

Moi said he was committed to conserving the environment during his regime, arguing that the establishment of the Nyayo Tea Zones was one of his strategies to protect the country's forests.

" Tea is environment friendly and I wonder why my efforts were never appreciated" noted during South Rift AIC first anniversary celebrations.

Moi who is said to own vast tea estates on which the Kiptagich tea factory in Kuresoi District is set up is among the rich land owners expected to be compensated in the next phase of mau evictions that begin this month.

However, controversy rages on whether big land owners should be compensated an issue that has been at the centre of intense party politics between PNU and ODM.

Moi has been blamed for the destruction of the Mau Forest Complex, the country top water tower by allocating large tracts of the forest land to his allies.