The government has directed residents and squatters living in government and gazetted areas in Trans Nzoia County to vacate within five days or face the risk of forceful eviction.
The affected areas include gazetted forest land in Makunga, Exsmith, Rest, Tildet, Triangle Forest, and ADC farmlands.
According to the County Commissioner, Gideon Oyagi, the evacuation orders are intended to allow the government to engage with affected residents while they are outside the gazetted areas.
This measure aims to curb encroachment, which has in the past led to conflicts within these lands.
Speaking during a public consultation exercise at Gituamba area on Wednesday, 31 December, Oyagi warned that residents unlawfully possessing firearms must surrender them to the government or face apprehension and prosecution.
Intelligence reports indicate that some individuals have claimed ownership of firearms under the pretext of securing the area, a responsibility that legally lies with the government, according to the administrator.
"We have said that you all need to move out of the areas. This will enable us, as the government, to engage you so you can explain when the gazetted areas became your private property," Oyagi said.
He added, "We want to talk while you are outside the gazetted areas to prevent clashes while you are inside them. All those who are inside and have firearms, I direct that you surrender them immediately before we embark on a crackdown."
The Kenya Forest Service also emphasised that it will not tolerate public encroachment into gazetted areas. The agency called on residents to vacate peacefully to promote conservation efforts and protect forest resources.
The long-running dispute between the government and squatters claiming ownership of the contested land has triggered repeated clashes over the years, as authorities have struggled to remove them from the gazetted areas.
These developments unfold amid heightened security concerns in Narok County, after the government last week designated parts of Trans Mara West and Trans Mara South as security-disturbed and dangerous for 30 days.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the declaration was intended to allow security agencies to scale up operations while rolling out peace-building interventions following recent unrest in the region.
A dawn-to-dusk curfew remains in force in the affected areas, alongside a significantly enhanced security presence. Murkomen noted that calm is gradually returning as the government continues to engage local leaders and security stakeholders to address the underlying causes of the conflict.
