Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko has said that the government will not compensate Mau Forest settlers even those claiming to have title deeds.
Speaking in Narok East Constituency on Friday ahead of the second phase of evictions from the forest, the cabinet secretary maintained that the titles said to have been issued to some settlers were not genuine, branding them paper titles.
"So I repeat what I said and that is the position of the government, there is nothing like compensation for a Mau. If you are in Mau, the paper you have is a paper title, " the Environment CS said.
The Kenyan government has been involved in an ongoing effort to protect the Mau Forest from human encroachment.
Mau Forest is a water catchment area that environmental activists and conservationists want to be protected.
Protecting it has been a matter of huge political interest.
Evictions started during the grand coalition government, sparking an uproar in the Rift Valley region which led to the fallout between veteran opposition and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga.
Last year, Ruto-backing legislators led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen confronted law enforcement officers over the evictions, claiming that force was being used on the settlers.