Opposing political camps from the larger Rift Valley region on Saturday held a unique meeting, with the impending phase II eviction from Mau Forest being the point of contention.
For months, politicians allied to Deputy President William Ruto and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, have been trading barbs with President Uhuru Kenyatta's succession being the focal point.
Both Ruto and Gideon have expressed interest in succeeding Uhuru. The two politicians rarely meet face to face, and have exchanged verbally in social functions.
However, former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, a close ally of Moi and Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen led the team of both current and former leaders during the meeting.
"We are not here to oppose the government. The constitution provides room for dialogue. We have to meet, sit down and solve this matter amicably," said Ruto.
Nelson Koech, the MP for Bulgut, said the leaders agreed to defend the rights of residents. They accused government of gazetting genuinely occupied areas for eviction.
"Our position remains that people targeted for eviction are not in gazetted forest land but in settlement schemes that were previously under the County Council of Narok and which were transferred consensually and legally," he wrote.
"We have also asked Government to be alive to the fact that over 1000 students are set to sit for national examinations in the areas they have mapped.We shall continue pursuing the interests of those that we represent without apology," added Koech.
Also present were Paul Sang, Zakayo Cheruiyot, Nick Salat, Musa Sirma, Johanna Ng'eno, Beatrice Kones, Franklin Bett among other leaders from Rift Valley.
The impending eviction could now see Rift Valley leaders speaking from the same script against government, a move that could throw Ruto and Moi into a limbo.