The Mau Forest eviction saga continued apace Friday as prominent politicians from the Rift Valley region piled pressure on President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, who also doubles up as the Senate majority leader, the leaders reminded the head of state of fundraiser in 2009 he attended in support of Mau Forest evictees.
Mr Murkomen contended that it is the Mau evictions, spearheaded by the then prime minister Raila Odinga, that catapulted Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto to the presidency.
The evictions led to the fallout between Raila Odinga and William Ruto who accused the ODM leader of persecuting the Mau people for selfish interests.
"Those citizens who made Uhuru become president, the agenda that made Uhuru Kenyatta the president and William Ruto the deputy president, now Natembeya and Tobiko have the power above the president to evict people from Mau (Wale wananchi wenye walifanya Uhuru Kenyatta akuwe rais, ile agenda yenye ilifanya Uhuru Kenyatta akuwe rais na naibu wa rais William Ruto at sasa hivi sasa Natembeya na Tobiko wako na uwezo juu ya rais kufurusha watu wa Mau)," the Elgeyo Marakwet senator fired.
Rift Valley leaders have called on the national government to go slow on the Mau issue, calling for a compassionate approach in resolving the matter.
This comes as the Environment Cabinet Secretary maintains that the impending evictions will go on as planned.
There have been concerns that the evictions will trigger a humanitarian crisis and disrupt the lives of thousands of families residing in the contested forest.