President William Ruto also announced the lifting pf the caveat that had been placed on land bordering the Mau Forest. [PCS]
President William Ruto has announced the payment of Sh2.6 billion to 13,000 families evicted from the Mau Forest in Narok six years ago, marking what he described as the closure of a long chapter.
Each beneficiary received Sh200,000 through M-Pesa to help them resettle and rebuild their lives away from the water tower.
Speaking at Sogoo in Narok South Constituency on Wednesday, during the final day of his two-day tour of Narok County, Ruto said the Government had taken steps to address the longstanding Mau Forest resettlement problem.
He noted that in 2023, the Government gave Sh300,000 each to 2,000 families living in tents in the Mau Forest to enable them to leave the water tower and purchase land elsewhere.
“We are today officially closing the long and painful chapter of people who were removed from the Mau Forest, which the County Government of Narok will now manage,” Ruto said.
The President criticised politicians who, he said, had continued to politicise the Mau Forest issue without providing lasting solutions.
“Many politicians have talked of the Mau question, but I talked of the Mau answer. This is why we are here today closing this chapter,” he said.