• They say MP Kapondi misled the National Assembly to gain political mileage ahead of the 2022 general elections
• Last month, National Assembly approved the variation of Mt Elgon forest boundaries to exclude Chepyuk phases 2 and 3
Image: JOHN NALIANYA
The Ogieks and Ndorobos of Chepkitale Forest in Mt Elgon have accused their member of Parliament of supporting their eviction.
They claimed that MP Fred Kapondi spearheaded their eviction to gain political mileage ahead of the 2022 general elections.
On Tuesday, they marched from Chebyuk to the Bungoma county headquarters at Kopsiro waving twigs and placards as they accused Kapondi of orchestrating the government's plan to throw them out of the forest.
The protesters said they had conserved the forest for decades, keeping bees, herding livestock and growing food crops.
Mt Elgon is one of the country's five water towers.
Last Thursday, Kapondi said in Parliament that Chepkitale is part of Mt Elgon forest reserve and the two communities should be relocated to Chepyuk phases 2 and 3 comprising a total of 4,607 hectares.
The protesters' spokesperson, Amos Kisa Sanutia, said Kapondi misled the National Assembly.
“We want to state clearly that Chepkitale is not and has never been part of the Mt Elgon forest reserve. Member of Mt Elgon should not mislead the National Assembly because from time immemorial we have been and remain the inhabitants of Chepkitale not from 1930 as stated by the MP,” Sanutia said.
He cited Article 63 (2) (d) ii that he claimed states that Chepkitale National Reserve is community land and should be registered as per the Community Land Act 2016.
“Our forefathers were born and buried in Chepkitale. It is also worth noting that Chepkitale has the best-conserved forest of indigenous trees in Kenya. It is protected by community by-laws informed by traditional knowledge of the Ogiek community,” David Mutorongo said.
Last month, MPs approved the variation of Mt Elgon forest boundaries to exclude Chepyuk phases 2 and 3.
“The government should properly secure the remaining forest area within Mt Elgon forest reserve particularly Chepkitale considering the need to achieve the United Nations recommended 10 per cent forest cover in the country,” read the recommendations of the joint National Assembly Committee on Land and Environment.
On Tuesday, the protesters maintained that Chepyuk is a settlement scheme for all deserving Kenyans. They said they had lived in the forest since 1919.
“We want Ndorobos to be given justice as Kenyans and people of Bungoma county. We have lost many people fighting for our rights and when we thought that the dust had settled, we can clearly see that our MP is busy trying to divide us after sensing defeat in 2022,” Stephen Arames said.
Chepkierieriet Ndiema, 69, said: “We are peaceful people. We shall keep holding peaceful demonstrations because we don’t want to go back to where were previously."
Kapondi accused some non-governmental organisations of using the two communities to get funds from foreign donors.
He said he is only interested in the welfare of the residents and had nothing to do with their evictions. “All I am doing is agitating for the degazetment of Chepyuk phases 2 and 3 because I want them to get title deeds and settle there.
"I don’t want them to suffer once they leave the forest which is a reserve,” Kapondi told the Star by phone.