The planned eviction of alleged illegal landowners in Mau Forest continues to elicit mixed reactions from different quarters.
The Environment Ministry has now listed more than 1,000 individuals who are considered as original beneficiaries of the land in the region as leaders and members of the public express different opinions on the eviction.
The government has now described some 1,029 persons as invaders of the land despite them insisting that they own the parcels.
The accused persons, according to Standard Digital reportedly hived close to 14, 000 hectares of land from the forest and sold to unsuspecting locals estimated at 6,965 in number.
The land in question was sold at as little as Sh4000.
Some of the beneficiaries had to part with a goat to acquire a share of the land in the forest. The ministry has also listed schools and churches among the beneficiaries of the land in the area.
The list also shows that the acquisition of land in the area dates back to as early as 1981. The process continued until 2009 when the government became suspicious of the same before taking action on the land grabbers.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko, who has been in the spot over the evictions, has now said that the government will compel all those who illegally acquired the land to pay for its restoration.
Some of the beneficiaries have been listed twice as indicated in the list.
The beneficiaries of the land as listed by the Standard are Olechukiche Group (767 hectares), Rikana ole Setek (70 hectares), Olonana K (202 hectares), Lolkeri ole Kiok (88 hectares), Kitilai ole Ntutu (580 hectares), Leonard Lemotowuan (62 hectares), Lolkeri ole Kiok, (62 hectares), Kitilai ole Ntutu owns (142 hectares).
Other beneficiaries are Tunai ole Lumulee (73 hectares), Evan Makori and Leonard Ogeto (81 hectares), William Kilele (0.1 acres), Richard Kipkosgei (0.125 acres), Paul Maina (0.5 acres) and Torongoi Kilele (0.5 acres).