More than 2,500 Mau Forest
IDPs have threatened not to vote for President Uhuru Kenyatta, saying they were left out of the resettlement process.
The internally displaced persons were kicked out of the forest in Kuresoi by the Grand Coalition Government in 2008.
On Sunday, they were left out of the list of those to be compensated in July as announced by Deputy President William Ruto.
Their chairman
Robert Mutai claimed the Jubilee government promised to compensate them in 2013 but this has not been done.
“Ruto has been laying the blame of forceful eviction on NASA leader Raila Odinga but we have proven he is worse than Raila,” Mutai told journalists in Nakuru town on Tuesday.
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Mutai said families living in Kipkongor, Kurpanyat, Kipkoris, Kipkongor, Saina and Kiletien camps lost their property when they were forcefully evicted by Kenya Forest Officers.
Officers burned their houses, they said, adding many are poor while others have suffered diseases that have claimed several lives.
“It is unfortunate that we have lost children, old people and pregnant women to cold-related diseases for almost a decade yet the government ignores us saying we are not genuine,” said the chairman.
Mutai added that Ruto, who hails from the region, remains quiet while President Uhuru dishes out money countrywide.
“He used to be a sweet talker but we are dying under his watch. He has ensured all Jubilee leaders from the region don’t talk about us. We have proof that he punishes those who dare to mention IDPs," he said.
“We will not vote them. It is better for us to vote for Raila so we can come to a bargain with the help of Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto."
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Mutai warned they will soon hold street demonstrations against leaders in the ruling coalition.
Earlier in June, the President pledged that post-election violence will never take place under his watch.
He said this when handing over Sh470 million to integrated IDPs in Nyamira county.
There had been fears that NASA will kick settlers out of the forest should Raila and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka win the August 8 general election.
The Opposition leader dismissed the claims saying this was not in his agenda.
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