Pressure is still piling on Deputy President William Ruto to break his silence on the ongoing evictions at the Mau Forest complex in Narok County.
Political commentator and columnist Gabriel Ogunda on Monday asked Ruto to respond to claims that he used and dumped squatters at the vital water tower who are now counting losses after their properties was destroyed by police officers during the weekend.
"Dear, William Ruto- Mau Forest evictees have called you out in today's paper asking why you're silent on the evictions yet you hosted them at your Karen home before 2017 elections & promised them protection. What's your response to their claim that you've used and dumped them?" Ogunda tweeted.
He was reacting after the Standard on Monday reported some evictees were accusing the DP of lying to them that they won't be evicted when he was campaigning for Jubilee's re-election in 2017 polls.
"The leaders have abandoned us. I remember I was among 51 people who were taken to Deputy President Ruto's residence in Karen just before election. We met him and he assured us of our stay here in the Mau. President Uhuru Kenyatta also assured us of our stay but we are here suffering, where did we go wrong?" said Stanley Towett as quoted by the local daily.
"Ruto said our issues had been addressed and we clapped and stood with him. Tunai (Narok Governor Samuel Tunai) also took us to a hotel in Naivasha where he told us things had been streamlined and what remained was we assure him of our support," Towett claimed.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko and Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya insist the 60 days the government gave the settlers to leave the forest has expired and there will no more grace period.
The DP is yet to comment on the issue despite touring the area a few weeks ago.