Government to resettle communities in eastern Mau.

The bloodshed that has been witnessed in Eastern Mau for the last 25 years leaving tens dead and property worth millions in ashes will be a thing of the past before the end of the year.

This came as the government gave in and agreed to resettle members of the three communities who have clashed every year over land ownership in the area.

In a pact entered between the State and the Kipsigis, Tugen and Ogiek, the dispute will be resolved in 11 weeks.

For years, members of the three communities have clashed over land ownership with some government officers blamed for double allocation and under hand deals.

This emerged in a meeting held in Lake Naivasha Resort chaired CS for Interior Security Fred Matiang’i and attended by his counterparts Faridah Karoney (Lands), Charles Keter (Energy) and Tobiko Keriako (Environment).

Addressing the press after the closed door meeting, Matiang’i said that a multi-agency team had been formed to resolve the dispute before the next Jamhuri Day.

The CS said that the President had issued directives that the affected communities be resettled as one way seeking a lasting solution.

“These clashes have been going on for the last two decades and we have orders from the President to resolve this crisis within 11 weeks,” he said.

Under the agreement, the Ogieks as per a court order will be allocated one block of the land while members of the other two communities will get individual title deeds.

The CS admitted that some government officers mainly from his office and that of lands had contributed to the current impasse in the area.

“To address all the emerging issues, we have formed a multi-agency-team and we shall take drastic actions on all those government officers who have contributed to this problem,” he said.

While thanking the leaders of the three communities, Matiang’i said that the bulk of the work would be conducted by the Ministry of Land in terms of survey and sub-division of the land.

“This problem started back in 1994 and the clashes have been a major concern to the government but we are committed to permanently solving this,” he said.

Reverend Ibrahim Mutai from Kipsigis termed the move to resettle them as timely adding that this would help end the clashes that had left many dead.

“We thank the President for intervening and making sure that this problem has been resettled as we have lived in fear and anxiety for years,” he said.

On his part, Joseph Miringa from the Ogiek community said that they would continue to push for individual titles and that of the community.

“We fully support the ongoing process and we hope that we shall get the community and individual title deeds before December,” he