The government has withdrawn a notice gazetting Chetambe Hills in Webuye East, Bungoma, as a forest reserve.
The gazettement of Chetambe Hills land would have led to the eviction of 10,000 people.
The 406 acres in parts of Maraka and Mihuu wards had been gazetted as a forest reserve on July 25.
Environment and Forestry CS Keriako Tobiko said President Uhuru Kenyatta had asked him to revoke the gazette notice.
This would allow fresh identification and survey of the land to verify those who were compensated by the government.
Tobiko spoke at Sipala Secondary School on Monday.
“President Kenyatta has withdrawn the gazette notice of Chetambe Hills land. The new identification and the survey will be conducted soon to identify those who were compensated,” he said.
“The gazette notice has been withdrawn with immediate effect, let those who were compensated leave the land for it to be repossessed.”
Tobiko called on Bungoma county commissioner Samuel Kimiti to identify those who were compensated.
“Those who were not compensated should settle down and initiate development projects, those settling in government-owned land should surrender it for gazettement,” he said.
Several leaders in Bungoma had asked the government to revoke the gazettement of Chetambe hills land.
Led by Defense CS Eugene Wamalwa, the leaders had called on Tobiko to resolve the Chetambe lands issue and allow residents to settle in peace without fear of eviction.
“Majority of these people are worried, they can't settle well because of the eviction threats,” he said.
Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka said the petition in the Senate should be discussed faster to allow the issue to be completely settled.
“The petition is already in the senate, it is not a one-man show, I hope the issue will be settled very fast,” he said.
Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati said the Chetambe hills land issue has been very emotive for the last six months.
“We met President Uhuru Kenyatta with five governors from the Western region over the land issue, I hope the President will get a way forward over the matter,” he said.
Wangamati called on Tobiko to revoke the gazettement of Chetambe hills land.
Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi urged the government to settle the Chetambe hills land issue completely.
“This is the emotive land issue and some people should not use it to gain political popularity, let this issue be settled once and the government allow the inhabitants to remain settled,” he said.
Violet Makhanu, Mihuu MCA urged Tobiko to listen to them and allow the emotive land issue to be settled.
She said the residents have developed the region and have known it as their only home.
“Our grandfathers lived here, we have known Chetambe as our home, let the government settle this matter,” Makhanu said.
She said Chetambe hill is a historic site because the Bukusu and the Tachoni community defeated the colonists during the fight for Independence.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
