Hundreds of families living along the Kerio escarpment are staring at forceful eviction by the government to avert a looming catastrophe in the wake of heavy downpour that is pounding the region.
The affected families have been advised to relocate to safer grounds to avoid being swept away by the raging floods as witnessed last year where 10 people lost their lives after they were swept away by the rain water.
The warning comes after the government mapped out areas prone to landslide with a view to avert loss of lives from the effect of mudslide that have become the order of the day during heavy rain in the region.
Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner Ahmed Omar said that a team of geologists toured the landslide areas inhabited by hundreds of families most of whom carry out farming activities.
Omar said the team, in the one week assessment tour, recommended in their detailed report that the areas are unfit for human settlement.
The County Commissioner said that they have issued a directive to more than 5,000 families through chiefs and their assistants to relocate to safer ground without further delays for their own safety.
“We have already asked the families living along the hanging valley across the country to move to safer areas with immediate effect to avert a catastrophe or face forceful eviction,” said Omar.
Omar has warned that the government will not compromise with the lives of its citizens noting that those who will resist the order to vacate
their land will face the full force of the law.
14 lost their lives
Some of the areas where hundreds of families are staring at mass eviction include Kittony Embobut, Kakisoo, Cheptulel and Emsea villages which have in the last ten years witnessed deadly mudslide that have resulted in the death of people among them children and livestock.
At Kittony village alone in Marakwet East Sub County, 14 lost their lives after they were swept away by the raging flood water during the night incident eleven years ago.
But speaking to Mwanahabari.co.ke, the aggrieved families vowed to stay put in their land despite the government’s order move to safer ground saying that they have not been shown an alternative place to settle.
Raymond Suter, a father of 10, said it was wrong for the government to order them to relocate without showing them where they
will settle and start a new life, besides compensating them.
“We had agreed to surrender our parcels of land to the government ten years ago in exchange for alternative settlement in Uasin Gishu or TransNzoia counties but unfortunately that national government is yet to meet part of its bargain on the matter,” said Suter.
Rhoda Chesir, another victim of the landslide said that she has no other place to call home apart from the escarpment where she has lived with
her family for the past 40 years.
“I will not vacate my five acre piece of land even if the police come to eject me unless I am shown an alternative place to settle with my eight children,” said Chesir who is a peasant farmer.