A person behind the allocation of land in the highly disputed Mau forest, Sammy Mwaita, has defended his actions.
The former Baringo Central Member of Parliament was a land commissioner when retired President Daniel Moi's government gave out pieces of lands to landless Kenyans, firms and individuals in the Mau complex.
In an interview with Daily Nation published on Saturday, Mwaita said that the right procedure was followed during the land allocation thus suggesting that the current occupants of the lands are the rightful owners.
“I followed the prevailing procedures and regulations as prescribed at the time by the government. The land allocation was done as a government project,” he said as quoted by the Daily Nation.
The former MP noted that the process was carried out after the former president gave out an order.
"The laws of the land gave powers to the President to order excision of land to benefit the poor, landless, resettle people or to provide land for establishment of public amenities,” said Mwaita.
The Mau forest has caused political differences after the government ordered the eviction of the settlers who have been said to be occupying the land illegally.
While the government insists it will go on with the planned evictions, a section f politicians from Rift Valley region has vowed to oppose the exercise.
Locals have been given the notice to move out failure to which they will be subjected to forceful eviction upon expiry of the notice.