Kenya: Ruto Declares Mau Evictions Chapter Closed As 13,000 Evictees Receive Sh200,000 Each

What the report says

President William Ruto has said the long-running Mau Forest eviction dispute is now closed after compensation was paid to 13,000 people in Narok South. According to the Capital FM report republished by AllAfrica, each beneficiary received Sh200,000, bringing the total payout to Sh2.6 billion. The announcement was made in the context of the government’s wider efforts to settle claims from families displaced in efforts to protect the Mau as a key water catchment area.

The article says the latest payment follows earlier steps in which thousands of affected families were promised compensation. It notes that in an earlier phase, 2,000 families were paid Sh300,000 each to leave the forest and seek land elsewhere, and that the government later said 12,000 more evictees would be compensated. Ruto has also argued that the forest should remain protected and not be used as a political issue.

The report adds that some displaced families had complained about delays in receiving assistance, while local leaders had urged that verified evictees be paid and warned against misuse of the funds. In broader context, the Mau Forest has long been a sensitive land, conservation and resettlement issue in Kenya because it is an important water source and the subject of recurring political and legal disputes.