MAU=POLITICAL SCORES

Forestry Minister Dr. Noah Wekesa wants politicians to stop settling political scores using the conservation of the forest.

Wekesa accused a section of politicians who have persistently used the forest conservation efforts for fight political supremacy wars.

He is instead asking them to educate locals on the immense importance of the Mau Forest Complex.

The process to reclaim Mau began two years ago.

Similar operations were earlier carried out in Mount Kenya and other forests, without much ado.

"The politics came once we came to Mau forest," said Wekesa.

He was speaking in Gigiri on Wednesay during the 2nd Strategic Partners consultative forum of the rehabilitation of the Mau ecosystem.

During the forum, Prime Minister Raila Odinga received an update from the Mau secretariat on the forest rehabilitation.

The PM called on the rule of law to be applied in the conservation of the country's water towers for meaningful gains, sentiments echoed by Wekesa.

Chairperson of the Task force Noor Hassan said survey works is currently on going.

He said rehabilitation work has been grueling but was progressing well.

"But what encourages us is that up to today, we have been able to recover 24,000 hectares of land, which is now ready for restoration purposes. And am glad that Mau will be different by the end of phase three," he told the forum

So far, phase one and two are complete. Raila praised the assistance from Save the Mau trust fund, while urging more development partners to provide funds for the next phase.

Over 19,000 hectares have been repossessed from illegal squatters with 42 titles surrendered voluntarily .

But the greater task lies ahead as the government embarks on phase three.

This will involve identifying the bonafide allotees of land under the 2001 excision.

This phase will also involve conforming the legality of title deed that were issued in Mau forest.