A marginalised group in Nakuru has called on the county government to help them deal with their long term woes saying successive governments have led them down.
The group, comprising people majorly from the Ogiek community said they were being side-lined in development, employment and other social activities.
At a meeting held in Nakuru on Sunday, they called on Governor Kinuthia Mbugua to remember them in his development agenda claiming they also took part in the voting exercise that ascended him to the top seat.
Led by the Ogiek Council of Elders chairperson Joseph Towett, they said a majority of leaders had formed a habit remembering them during election campaign periods but later ignore them once elected into office.
“This issue is a real matter of concern to us elders because it’s our future generations that will suffer for lack of an identity because once we die, we will die with all the history concerning our community,” he said.
Towett accused the previous regimes of not fulfilling their promises saying the levels of non-commitment from the responsible authorities were questionable.
“We have struggled to be recognised ever since retired president was in power. It’s only during the Mwa Kibaki regime that land was allocated to us but to date, no title deed has been handed to us, how sure should we rest knowing that we are living on genuine land? he posed.
The community which historically lived in the forest and was engaged in hunting and gathering was allocated land on the edges of Mau Forest but fear being ejected because of encroaching on the forest’s land which is government’s property.