In less than 60 days, the second phase of evictions from the Mau Forest is set to begin, and with it, the political tantrums.
"Those who claim to own titles in the Maasai Mau should surrender them to the county commissioner and tell him who sold the land to them, so that they can be arrested and prosecuted for obtaining money under false pretences," Environment CS Keriako Tobiko stated on Friday.
"The Maasai Mau which is a critical National asset that supports the wildebeest migration is at risk due to destruction of the vital ecosystem.
"We are not evicting people from Maasai Mau because we hate any community, we are doing this for the region and for the future generations, he added.
During the first phase of the evictions in July 2018, Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen protested that certain individuals had plotted with the government to evict people from the forest.
His fiery remarks were interpreted by many as attacking President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a factor that Murkomen vehemently opposed.
The concerns posed by Murkomen and some residents from the region were a pointer to the fact that the Mau eviction issue is being read from a political lens.
"It is unfortunate that we are victims of bad politics. We were evicted in 2005, after the 2002 polls as well as in 2008, after the 2007 elections. Are we lesser Kenyans?" Joseph Kimetto, the Nkoben village elder told Nation in 2018.
The political angle was heightened by Murkomen's move to confront Kenya Forest Services officers, who were in charge of the first eviction operation, to express his concerns and opposition to the activity.
The legislator had dared President Kenyatta to contradict him on the evictions, which he described as inhumane.
“Mr President, today, I want to tell these people that I have come here and I have seen their suffering. I want you to also come to Mau, and tell them whether you stand with Natembeya (Narok county commissioner), or the common man who gave you votes,” Murkomen told an excitable gathering at Kitoben Primary School in Narok.
As if aware of how his remarks might have affected his career, and following a statement by Nairobi Senator, Johnson Sakaja, that he had disrespected President Kenyatta over his stand on the evictions, Murkomen put his Senate leadership position on the line.
“I know that the president on whose behalf I fought so hard, the same one we campaigned for against other people, cares for the people of Mau. So I want to tell you today if tomorrow I get ejected from my job as Senate majority leader, it will because I talked on your behalf,” Murkomen added.
