News 2008

Presidential Election Disaster and Civil Strife in Kenya                                         Documentation of the developments - Compilation of news showing the making and development of bloody unrest.

Ogiek accuse MPs of blackmailing PM                                                                          (24.08.2008) Ogiek community has accused some Rift Valley politicians of attempting to hold Prime Minister Raila Odinga to ransom over the Mau Forest evictions. The elders claimed a meeting held last weekend in Kericho, which the PM attended, was a scheme to arm-twist the Government into rescinding the decision to evict encroachers.

The Complications of the Mau Complex                                                                         (22.08.2008) For years now, the controversy of whether or not to evict squatters in the Mau Forest Complex in southwestern Kenya has been played by politicians to their own gain. The problem at the Mau has survived four general (parliamentary and presidential) elections so far, and it doesn’t seem to be going away.

Fencing of Mau Forest to cost Sh40m                                                                           (19.08.2008) The Government is seeking Sh40 million to erect a fence and prevent further destruction of Mau Forest. Environment  minister  John Michuki  said on Tuesday  that the 40 kilometre stretch would run along the original boundary of the forest marked in the 1980s.

Angry elders hold Raila to ransom over Mau evictions                                                      (17.08.2008) Prime Minister Raila Odinga has come under attack by Kipsigis elders over the intended eviction  of  more  than 15,000  people  from  the  Mau  Forest. The elders, who included seven MPs, councillors and professionals, told Raila to his face they would rethink their support for him in the next General Election.

CHEPKITALE OGIEK CALL OUT                                                                                  (16.08.2008) We  the  Chepkitale  Ogiek  (Ndorobos)  urgently  request  the Government of Kenya to immediately  lift  the  restrictions it has  imposed  on aid  agencies  since  July 2008 from accessing Chepkitale. We see this as another armtwisting by the PC and DC to force the Ndorobos out of their traditional homes of Chepkitale.

Let’s return to the good old days when the Mau played its role                                         (14.08.2008) Many have cried their hearts out for the Mau Forest. Indeed, to be alone in the woods of the Mau in the days of yore in the middle of the night was a chilling experience. The trees and thicket, positioned themselves in a soldierly manner, ready for combat.

Raila reiterates Government plan to save Mau                                                                 (11.08.2008) All settlers of the Mau Forest complex - whether legal or otherwise - will have to move out. This was the stern message from Prime Minister Raila Odinga when he opened the 10th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics in Nairobi, on Saturday evening.

Military returns to operation base, but questions arise over their mission                           (10.08.2008) Security personnel have returned to an area in Mt Elgon littered with bodies of people thought to have been arrested in the military operation against the murderous Sabaot Land Defense Force (SLDF).

Post-poll raiders ‘worked in shifts’                                                                                  (10.08.2008) The post-election violence early this year was organised and executed with military precision, a human rights report says. Leaders and communities are said to have provided food, transport and allowances for the militias.

Highlighting the Struggles of Indigenous People                                                              (09.08.2008) With today, August 9th, being the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, I thought I would highlight a few of the Struggles facing Indigenous People… the vast majority of which the United Nations seems to completely ignore.

Who was worse, militia or army? Village dilemma                                                           (04.08.2008) Whether the military should have been deployed to Mt Elgon District or whether it committed atrocities are issues Mrs Rita Nasipondwi is least bothered about. All she knows is that she can now sleep peacefully after three years.

State must act on Mau Forest now or risk dire outcome                                                  (02.08.2008) Listening to the voices coming from Rift Valley politicians on the question of the Mau Complex, one discerns a careless reaction to a highly important national issue. The conservation of the forest block is not a sectional issue or a mere inter-communal conflict over land and water.

Pay us for damages, families tell Government                                                                 (01.08.2008) Families evicted from Mt Kenya forest more than two decades ago want the Government to  compensate  them. The  families, now  living in  Mathira, also want  the  Government to give them alternative land alongside squatters who will be moved from Mau forest.

“All the Men Have Gone” - War Crimes in Kenya’s Mt. Elgon Conflict                                           (July 2008) HRW report on torture in Mt Elgon: Human Rights Watch report accuses the Kenya military of war crimes against the Sabaot during the security operation in Mt Elgon.

Leaders not sincere on Mau saga                                                                                  (31.07.2008) The Mau forest saga does not appear to end soon, what with ‘hundreds of people crossing rivers and boundaries to reach the outlawed settlement’. The impending eviction is a political mirage. After all, land matters and politics are intertwined such that proper reasoning and decisions are never arrived at...

Mau Forest is a regional issue                                                                                      (30.07.2008) Mau Forest is an important source of water not only for human beings but also wild animals. Its destruction will lead to an economic crisis in this country and in neighbouring states as well.

Voices: Destruction of Mau a threat to generations                                                         (29.07.2008) The destruction of Mau Forest poses a threat to the survival of the present and future generations. As politicians squabble, Mau is getting exterminated. Depletion of the vital forest reserve should be stopped without further delay.

Proceed cautiously on Mau crisis                                                                                  (28.07.2008) Recently, a gathering of stakeholders sat in KICC and drew resolutions on Mau Forest. As debate raged and the resolutions were sealed, the poor of Mau were busy going about their business, perhaps oblivious of the gravity of the KICC meeting. It was decided that they must move out by October this year.

Fence off Mau and address threat to other water towers                                                  (28.07.2008) I have been following recent discussion on the Mau Forest with concern, partly because some of us have been raising alarm over forests for decades with little success.

Politically Incorrect Using Mau Forest as a cover                                                            (28.07.2008) Due to the crooked nature of and vested interests by the major protagonists involved, the real issues surrounding the Mau Forest saga increasingly sound like yesterday news.

Investigate "torture" in Mt Elgon operation, government urged                                           (28.07.2008) NAIROBI, (IRIN) - A public inquiry should be set up into "torture and war crimes" committed by the Sabaot Land Defence Forces (SLDF) militia and the military in Mt Elgon District, human rights activists said.

The facts about Mau forest                                                                                            (27.07.2008) The Mau ranges form one side of nature’s architectural marvel, the Great Rift Valley. It is on these ranges that the Mau Forest nests, cuddled by a rare mix of animals, birds and flora to constitute one of the largest water towers in the country.

The Mau complex: Peasants, propaganda and fraud                                                        (27.07.2008) The Mau Complex has proved to be a political dynamite that cannot be diffused by the fainthearted or by politicians out for popularity stunts.

Mau exit deadline needs to be more realistic - Ruto                                                        (27.07.2008) Three MPs from the South Rift region want the planned eviction of 15,000 families in Mau forest to be postponed.

Mau forest: State cannot have the cake and eat it                                                           (26.07.2008) Mau Forest, which is the source of 12 major rivers, is undoubtedly our priceless and most important water tower. The question of whether human habitation and degradation of any nature, including felling trees for sawmilling business, should be allowed should not even arise. Destruction through logging, excisions and encroachment of this fragile ecosystem is a matter of life and death.

Part of Mt Elgon forest to be degazetted                                                                        (26.07.2008) The Government will soon de-gazette part of Mt Elgon forest to expand the controversial Chebyuk settlement in Mt Elgon District. Western PC Abdul Mwasserah said the move was part of the reconstruction initiated by the Government after security personnel restored peace.

Does coalition have will to resolve Mau crisis?                                                                (25.07.2008) If the grand coalition Government does not resolve the Mau Forest saga it will prove to Kenyans and the rest of the world that it doesn’t deserve to rule.

Dispute over draft land policy rages                                                                                (24.07.2008) Proponents and opponents of the draft National Land Policy are at it again, trading fresh accusations. On Tuesday, Lands Minister James Orengo said he would prepare a Sessional Paper to present to Parliament for debate and possible adoption after Cabinet approval.

MP’s lorry impounded with illegal sandalwood                                                                 (24.07.2008) Police in Baringo have impounded an MP’s lorry ferrying sandalwood worth Sh10 million. The lorry was impounded at Tenges on Sunday night. A suspect, Mr Benjamin Rugut Kihara, was arrested at Salawa. He had also been charged with ferrying the endangered plant last month.

Protests over Mau invasion                                                                                           (23.07.2008) Sixty councillors on Wednesday called for urgent action to stop the destruction of Mau Forest. Led by Narok county council chairman Solomon Moriaso, the civic leaders said the rape of the water catchment was an ecological disaster that must be stopped. They also supported plans to evict farmers from the Mau.

Don’t politicise Mau evictions, says Ntimama                                                                 (23.07.2008) Cabinet  Minister  William Ntimama  has  said  environmental concerns should override political considerations in the  protection  of  Mau forest. Ntimama, who is also the Narok North MP, said the Government should evict illegal settlers in the forest to protect millions of lives, whose survival depends on the water tower.

New settlers moving into Mau, warn MPs                                                                       (23.07.2008) Thousands of people are trooping into Mau forest with the hope of benefiting from the planned Government resettlement of illegal farmers, Maasai leaders claimed on Tuesday.

Ignore October 30 deadline, minister tells Mau squatters                                                 (22.07.2008) An assistant minister has called on people living in Mau Forest to ignore the Govern-ment’s eviction notice unless alternative land for resettlement is offered.

Mau saga proves Kenyans do not care about environment                                               (22.07.2008) THOSE RIOTING OVER THE Government’s plan to comprehensively restore the Mau complex should be understood within the context of the typical Kenyan’s contempt for environmental conservation.

Raila orders stop to Mau ruin                                                                                        (22.07.2008) The fate of thousands of people living in Mau Forest will be determined by a task force launched by Prime Minister Raila Odinga. However, the 21-member team was directed to ensure any further destruction of the water tower or encroachment was immediately stopped.

Selfish interests threaten Mau forest                                                                              (22.07.2008) The direct involvement of political leaders in the Mau Complex evictions stands in the way of the Government’s resolve to rid the forest of illegal settlers.

Kenya to benefit from WB's forest carbon partnership facility                                            (22.07.2008) NAIROBI, (Xinhua) -- Kenya will be among 14 developing and nine industrialized countries of an innovative partnership and world financing mechanism to combat tropical deforestation and climate change.

MSF at odds with Kenyan police over aid work in western Kenya                                     (21.07.2008) NAIROBI (AFP) - Medical  charity  Medecins  Sans  Frontieres  on Monday denounced Kenyan authorities  for  blocking  its  mobile  clinics  in the troubled Mount Elgon region, but police responded that the restrictions were necessary.

Mau Complex Task Force launched                                                                               (21.07.2008) Prime minister, Raila Odinga says the process of corrective actions that will be taken in the Mau forest by the government will be undertaken in a humane manner.

Team to resolve Mau dispute                                                                                         (21.07.2008) Prime Minister Raila Odinga is set to launch a task force to address the Mau Complex dispute Monday, even as a section of Rift Valley leaders vowed to resist the planned eviction of farmers allocated land in the forest.

Let us join hands in protecting the Mau Forest and other natural resources                       (21.07.2008) Though the Mau Forest is an ecosystem with great ecological and economic importance, it’s saddening to see and hear some politicians trivialising the issue of its conservation for narrow political interests.

Mau forest stands for life, our future                                                                               (21.07.2008) THE 400,000-HECTARE MAU FOREST COMPLEX remains by far the most important water tower in the region. The source of at least 12 rivers, the complex is the bedrock of economic activity in Western Kenya and the Lake Victoria region in general.

RAILA PICKS TASKFORCE FOR MAU FOREST PROBE                                               (21.07.2008) THE government is likely to face a major confrontation with a section of MPs from the Rift Valley after forming a task force to address the controversial Mau complex settled on by thousands of people.

Charity says Kenya security forces block its work                                                          (21.07.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - A medical charity accused Kenyan security forces on Monday of blocking its work in a remote eastern region where soldiers are fighting rebels.

Mps differ on the Mau forest eviction                                                                              (20.07.2008) Forestry and wildlife Minister Noah Wekesa has openly differed with a group of Rift Valley MPs opposed to the eviction of people living in the Mau Escarpment.

Mau Forest Destruction Will Cost the Kenya Economy US$300M                                    (19.07.2008) Protecting  Mau  Forest  in Kenya’s Economic Interest - Nairobi - Kenya stands to lose a nature-based economic asset worth over US $300 million alone to the tea, tourism and energy sectors if the forest of the Mau Complex continues to be degraded and destroyed, the UN Environment Programme said today.

Moi son accuses leaders of duping Mau residents                                                          (19.07.2008) Former Baringo Central MP Gideon Moi has expressed surprise at leaders who fail to honour their promises. He singled out the case of Mau forest, where the leaders had, during the last election campaigns, pledged not to evict squatters.

Government to safeguard Mau Forest                                                                             (18.07.2008) The government has said it is committed to restoring Mau forest to its original purpose so as to safeguard the catchments of the over twenty rivers that rely on the forest.

Protect forest at all cost, say experts                                                                            (18.07.2008) A conservation organisation has urged the Government to ignore pressure from politicians on plans to rehabilitate the Mau Forest. Joseph Terer, the Nile Basin Initiative projects manager in charge of the Mara River Basin, said populist politics should not override conservation issues. Terer said the depletion of Mau Forest, a regional water tower, had over the years threatened the existence of many rivers and streams in Kenya and Tanzania.

Protecting Mau Forest in Kenya's Economic Interest                                                       (18.07.2008) Nairobi, July 2008-Kenya stands to lose a nature-based economic asset worth over US $300 million alone to the tea, tourism and energy sectors if the forest of the Mau Complex continues to be degraded and destroyed, the UN Environment Programme said today.

The Mau must be saved at all costs                                                                               (18.07.2008) The Government must move firmly and with determination to clear the Mau Forest of illegal settlement, while addressing the concerns of all those affected who deserve a sympathetic and humane solution. On that there must be no compromise.

Government will safeguard Mau Forest                                                                           (18.07.2008) President Mwai Kibaki today said the Government was committed to restoring Mau forest to its original purpose so as to safeguard the catchments of the over twenty rivers that rely on the forest.

MP allocated land in Mau, report says                                                                           (18.07.2008) Bureti MP Franklin Bett is one of the leaders allocated land in Mau Forest. However, the 10 hectares at Kerisoi Station in Kericho was declared illegal by the commission of inquiry into the irregular allocation of public land.

Rift Valley MPs reject eviction notice for Mau squatters                                                   (17.07.2008) Some MPs from the Rift Valley have rejected the Government’s eviction order for squatters in Mau Forest. The ten MPs warned the Government against implementing resolutions arrived at the stakeholders consultative meeting in Nairobi on Tuesday.

Mau Forest evictions must be humane                                                                           (17.07.2008) The Government’s repossession of land in the Mau complex, justified given the complex history of corrupt dealings that led to settlement on public land, should be conducted as humanely as possible to avoid undue penalties on those living on the land.

Don’t incite Mau settlers, Ruto told                                                                                (17.07.2008) A Cabinet minister has accused two colleagues of inciting Mau Forest settlers to resist eviction. Forestry and Wildlife Minister Noah Wekesa said the two ministers politicised the issue. Dr Wekesa said Mr William Ruto (Agriculture) and Mr Henry Kosgey (Industrialisation) should educate their people on the dangers of their continued stay in the forest.

BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR PROTECTING CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT A ‘MORAL CALL’  (17.07.2008) - while aboriginal OGIEK CHILDREN SUFFER IN KENYA at the hands of Kenya army - Protecting children in armed conflict is a moral issue, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed today, calling for increased action to safeguard young people caught up in violence.

State evicts squatters from forest                                                                                  (16.07.2008) A humanitarian crisis has hit Mount Elgon District following a decision by the Provincial Administration to evict members of the Ogiek community from a forest.

Get out of Mau Forest or we evict you, squatters told                                                      (16.07.2008) All squatters in Mau forest must move out by October 30 or be evicted. This was decided during a day-long consultation between Prime Minister Raila Odinga, 10 Cabinet ministers, 15 MPs and 200 representatives of various groups from the Mau Complex at the KICC.

Squatters ordered out of Mau                                                                                        (16.07.2008) Thousands of squatters living in Mau Forest have been ordered to vacate by October as part of measures by the Government to restore Kenya’s biggest water catchment area.

The Mount Elgon Debacle                                                                                             (15.07.2008) Day 5: Kapsokwony - Two more children are the latest victims of the reign of terror being perpetrated in the name of the Government of Kenya on the Ogiek peoples of Mount Elgon's Chepkitale region.

House Team Rejects Ethnic Relations Bill                                                                      (15.07.2008) A  parliamentary  committee  has  rejected  the  legislation  proposing  the  creation of a commission on ethnic and racial discrimination. Members of the Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs Committee scrutinised the National Ethnic and Race Relations Commission Bill, who were meeting in Mombasa last weekend, said it was faulty.

Forest funding 'could put billions in wrong hands'                                                             (14.07.2008) The rush to protect forests as a way to tackle global warming could see billions of pounds handed over to corrupt politicians, criminals and polluting industries, experts have warned.

OGIEK MEMORANDUM                                                                                                       DATE: 12TH JULY 2008 - TO: THE RIGHT HONOURABLE: PRIME MINISTER HON. RAILA AMOLO ODINGA. - SUBJECT: OGIEK ANCESTRAL LANDS IN THE MAU FOREST COMPLEX - Hon. Primer Minister, Nearly 45 years have passed since Kenya attained her independence and the minority Ogiek people still live like squatters in their own country yet historians believe that the Ogiek are the first inhabitants to modern day Kenya....

Atrocities in Mount Elgon affect Ogiek                                                                           (11.07.2008) The acrid smell of burning suffused the air of Chebong'weny today and palls of smoke dotted the horizon and disappeared over the brow of the hills into Trans Nzoia. It reminded me of the sights I saw early last year when the SLDF were destroying homes in Chepyuk.

Army hunts for Mt Elgon militia sponsors                                                                       (03.07.2008) A former nominated MP is among prominent people being sought by the military over their involvement in Sabaot Land Defence Force operations.

Ogiek People Say They Are Forgotten Victims of Kenyan Election Violence                     (24.06.2008) As Kenya recovers from last December's post-election violence, the Ogiek people say they remain the forgotten victims. Their homes were burned and members of their community were attacked. The Ogiek live in the Mau Forest in Kenya's Rift Valley and are the country's largest forest-dwelling hunter-gatherer community.

Africa loosing massive forest cover                                                                                (12.06.2008) A recently launched report by Unep shows Africa is losing four million hectares of forest cover every year and brings vividly to light the impact of development policies, population growth, climate change and conflicts on the environment.

Poll chaos threat to survival of key water source                                                             (11.03.2008) Hundreds of families have illegally invaded Mau Forest, posing grave danger to the environment and wildlife. Conflicts do not just destabilise human lives. The environment also suffers when mobs take advantage of a breakdown in law and order to invade forests and plunder other natural resources.

Choppers pursue Mt Elgon militia                                                                                  (05.03.2008) The  Government  has  launched  the  long-awaited  ground-to-air  operation  against  the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) militiamen in Mt Elgon and Trans-Nzoia West districts.

Rights group claims lobbyists' lives in danger                                                                 (28.02.2008) Journalists and human rights defenders whose lives were threatened in the wake of the political violence are yet to get any protection from the Government, a human rights organisation has said.

SENGWER SUFFER FROM POLICE AND RAIDERS ALIKE                                           (16.02.2008) The Sengwer people in Kenya suffer at the merciless hands of cattle raiders as well as from the atrocities and heavy shelling of the area caused by undisciplined security forces.

OGIEK LEADER RECEIVES DEATH THREAT                                                               (14.02.2008) A leader of the Ogiek tribe in Kenya has received a death threat by telephone. An unknown caller told Mr Mpoiok Kobei, 'We need your head before Tuesday nineteenth, this month.'

Loggers Capitalise on Violence in North Rift to Venture Into Forests                                 (13.02.2008) Forests in parts of North Rift region have not escaped the effects of political unrest occasioned by the December 27 disputed presidential election results.

Urgent work for Human Rights Investigators at Mt Elgon                                                  (09.02.2008) As PNU and ODM fight it out, who actually won the 2007 elections in Kenya, the Ogiek of Mt Elgon continue to be raped and maimed by the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF), a rag-tag militia of heavily armed Bok, who have taken over the Mt Elgon regions.

African Nations Join Forces to Form Anti-Ivory Trade Coalition                                         (08.02.2008) Delegates and experts of wildlife conservation agencies in Africa from 17 countries came together and formally created a united front to save their countries most valued flagship species, the African elephant.

Anti-Indigenous Propaganda film airs on Swedish TV                                                       (08.02.2008) This past Monday, Swedish Television aired “Historiens Fångar” (History’s Prisoners) - an anti-indigenous propaganda film that claims there are no traditional Indigenous cultures left in the world, and that the only chance of survival for the remaining ‘drunk and pathetic few’ is through assimilating into colonial society.

Military spies invade anthropology conferences?                                                             (06.02.2008) The U.S. military is not only interested in employing anthropologists. Now, they have started attending anthropology conferences. Anthropologist Caroline Osella from the University in London and one of the editors of Social Mobility In Kerala, is worried.

Kenya Honey-Gathering Forest Tribe Caught in Violence                                                 (05.02.2008) The violence that has swept across Kenya since December's presidential election has hit the tiny forest-dwelling Ogiek tribe, bringing to the fore grievances that have been simmering for years.

Ogiek People Say They're Under Attack In Kenya's Rift Valley                                         (30.01.2008) The violence in Kenya’s Rift Valley is now targeting the Ogiek people, who are indigenous hunter-gatherers in the Mau Forest. Reports say homes are being burned and many people have been wounded.

Honey-hunting Ogiek tribe caught up in violence                                                             (30.01.2008) Leaders of the honey-hunting Ogiek tribe have reported that they are being targeted in the escalating post-election violence in Kenya.

DRC: World Bank slams its own forest reforms                                                               (23.01.2008) NAIROBI (IRIN) - World Bank forestry projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ignored the rights of indigenous pygmies and overestimated the benefits of industrial logging in reducing poverty, the bank itself said in a report that concluded internal guidelines had been breached.

Paramilitary units hunt Ogiek, while Kikuyu arsonists burn houses of fleeing Ogiek to the ground (19.01.2008) Horrible reports from Elburgon speak of police and para-military units hunting members of the Ogiek community, whom they allegedly blame for the death of one police officer. Security personnel, however, could not provide any evidence that the Ogiek are involved in this case at all. The officer was shot in the head with an arrow.

Farmers turn to commercial forestry after logging ban                                                      (15.01.2008) Farmers are turning to commercial forestry to earn a living following shortage of timber and tree products across the country. The ban on logging has also been a major driving force.

Ogiek Women Raped by GSU                                                                                       (08.01.2008) Tinet / Kenya - WTN - 8th Jan. 2008 - Members of the General Service Unit (GSU), the paramilitary force known for its brutality since 20 years, have allegedly raped two Ogiek women and two girls of minor age during the days of turmoil after the fraudulent presidential election in Kenya.

Aboriginal Peoples Helpline set up in Kenya                                                                    (03.01.2008) Members of the aboriginal minority peoples suffer the most, while the major tribes fight it out in Kenya's post-election skirmishes. In addition a situation, where the population has been intentionally or unintentionally cut off from the mobile phone networks, because hardly any possibilities to top up the private phone-credits are remaining, creates a situation of increasing helplessness and insecurity....

Two Ogiek shot by Kenya Police                                                                                   (03.01.2008) Two Ogiek are the latest victims of Police brutality in Kenya's post-election turmoil. Nicolas Borwa, aged 29, were yesterday shot in the leg and Elijah Lesingo, aged 32, was shot in the neck. Both survived but are in bad condition.

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