Squatters evicted from Embobut Forest wait for relief food at a school in Elgeyo-Marakwet in 2009. FILE
The government is reviewing the list of beneficiaries of Embobut Forest land ahead of a resettlement programme.
Elgeyo-Marakwet County Commissioner Arthur Osiya said relevant ministries, together with county government leaders, will hold meetings with evicted squatters next week to map the way forward.
High profile central government officials including Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, as well as county leaders, will attend the meeting.
Mr Osiya said that they were working towards meeting the September 20 deadline, set by Deputy President William Ruto, to resettle all forest evictees and internally displaced people in the country.
“The government delegation to the forest next week will offer squatters a number of options ,’’ said Mr Osiya.
Objected
Earlier, squatters had objected to resettlement on a 900 acre parcel of land in Moiben location, Uasin Gishu County, saying that they wanted to be settled at once and not in phases.
Marakwet East MP David Kangago, in whose constituency Embobut forest falls, said the squatters will be asked to choose their preferred place of resettlement, among other issues.
Options on the table include the government giving the 2,784 squatters money to buy land, or buying for them land, said Mr Kangago.
Another option, he said, would be excision and degazetting of 7,000 acres of Embobut forest to settle the evicted squatters.
“Even if squatters are resettled elsewhere, this alternative can ensure that people living on grounds prone to landslides and other calamities are resettled,’’ he said.
However, the squatters, through their spokesman Nelson Lortabai, said some issues were yet to be resolved.
“The controversial list of 2,784 beneficiaries is a source of conflict because it does not capture all genuine evictees,’’ said Mr Lortabai.
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