A plan by a section of Rift Valley leaders to raise funds and buy land in Narok for people who were evicted from Mau Forest is facing stiff resistance already.
Narok leaders from the Maasai community have termed the move as political.
The Maasai leaders want the settlers to be resettled in their counties of origin and not in Narok.
"We have seen some Bomet and Kericho leaders fundraising to buy land in some areas in Narok South to resettle these people. We know this is a plot to have them vote here in 2022 again and we will not allow,” Jackson ole Kamoe, who is the chairman of the Mau Forest Conservation Group, said.
The development comes in the wake of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry announcing the Mau Forest has been nearly completely purged of human habitation.
Rift Valley leaders have been locked within an ongoing standoff with the environment ministry over the evictions.
They have long argued that the evictions go against the human rights of the settlers and have called on the government to engage in negotiations to help resolve the Mau issue.
The environment ministry has warned that if people are allowed to stay in the forest then the important water catchment area will disappear.