Kenya: Mau Forest evictees’ plight intensifies (security / eviction)

A new report by Human Rights Watch has sounded the alarm over the worsening plight of thousands of people forcibly removed from Kenya’s Mau Forest, particularly on the Narok side in Maasai Mau. Between August and November 2019, security forces—including Kenya Wildlife Service, Forest Service, regular police, administration police, and county rangers—swept through at least ten villages, using excessive force to evict residents. According to HRW, the operation left at least seven people dead, while many more were injured, and hundreds lost their homes and livelihoods. Human Rights Watch+1
At the heart of the issue, HRW argues, is a failure by the Kenyan government to uphold its own eviction guidelines. The rights watchdog notes that affected communities were not given the legally required notice; instead of a 90-day public notice, authorities delivered just 60 days before beginning evictions the following day. Human Rights Watch+1 In some cases, officers forced residents to set their own homes ablaze under threat of gunfire, destroyed crops, and looted food stores. Human Rights Watch+1 In the aftermath, more than 6,000 people are now living in makeshift camps in Narok County—without resettlement, compensation, or reliable access to food and basic services. Human Rights Watch
The COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse. Evictees say that restrictions have choked off opportunities for work, while food aid has been intermittent and unpredictable. Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch is calling on the government to immediately investigate reported abuses, hold perpetrators accountable, and uphold international standards in any future relocations. They also urge authorities to provide food, financial assistance, and proper shelter to those displaced. Human Rights Watch
Looking ahead, HRW warns that continued neglect could lead to more deaths linked to starvation, cold, and illness. The human rights group insists that meaningful long-term solutions must balance conservation goals with justice for the displaced, and demands that resettlement and compensation plans be fast‑tracked. Human Rights Watch