Officers deployed to kick settlers out of the Mau Forest on Tuesday began ordering the people out, days after the government announced that it is committed to preserving the forest.
Some locals claimed that the police and Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers also burnt houses as they ordered the settlers, suspected forest raiders, to leave the forest.
They claimed that trouble began immediately after a chopper carrying Narok County Commissioner Samuel Kimiti left a local camp, after which the officers resorted to torching houses.
Mr Nelson Kipkprir, a local, said that there was tension and confusion as locals wailed and ran away, adding that nothing was salvaged from the burnt houses.
“It is immediately after the chopper left that smoke from burning houses filled the air. Screams were all over, as locals ran for their safety,” he said.
Samuel Langat, another local, said that the officers told them to vacate the specific region within a day as they intended to use it as their centre of operations.
Erick Bett said that they are being subjected to inhumane treatment, by the officers, days after Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko insisted that the campaign must succeed.
However, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya rubbished the claims, saying that the locals were burning their houses to whip out their emotions.
"No officer has burnt a house and if that is the current situation, then these people are burning old abandoned structures. It always happens when politicians visit,” he said.
The said evictions come barely three days after Kalenjin politicians claimed that the people will not move out, with Belgut MP Nelson Koech saying that they will never move out.