- Sengwer families living in Embobut Forest fear proposed evictions could disrupt their children’s education.
- Parents say candidates preparing for KJSEA and KCSE could be particularly affected if families are displaced.
- Community elders are calling for a solution that protects both children’s education and the forest.
For children in the Sengwer community living in Embobut Forest, the prospect of being forced from their homes has brought uncertainty at a critical time in their education.
Families in the forest are opposing what they say is a seven-day eviction ultimatum issued by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
They say a forced removal would interrupt learning for hundreds of children, including candidates preparing for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Community elders Alice Rono and Maria Sogomo said children should not be made to bear the consequences of a long-running dispute over conservation and land rights.
“Our children have the right to education just like any other child in Kenya. Evicting their families will interfere with their studies,” Rono said.
According to the elders, some learners are currently preparing for national examinations, making the timing of the proposed evictions particularly worrying.
“We have students preparing for KJSEA and KCSE. Where will they go? How will they prepare for their examinations if their homes are destroyed and their families displaced?” Sogomo asked.
The community says it has lived in Embobut Forest for generations and knows no other home.
They also question why schools and other institutions were established in the area if residents were eventually expected to leave.
“The government knows that our children are here. Schools were constructed here. We have built our lives here for decades. Why remove us now?” Rono said.
The Sengwer are urging the Government to respect court orders that they say protect them against eviction while their legal dispute is being determined.
Community elder Peter Kitum said the community’s presence in the forest dates back generations, arguing that Sengwer families have traditionally contributed to conservation.
“We were allowed here in 1922 to live in the forest and help conserve it. We have always considered ourselves guardians of this forest,” Kitum said.
Kitum further said the community had successfully challenged previous eviction attempts in court.
“We have won several cases. We will remain here and continue seeking justice through the courts,” he said.
Conservation and ancestral rights
KFS has historically maintained that protecting Embobut Forest requires controlling human activities blamed for forest degradation. The Sengwer reject the argument that their presence is incompatible with conservation, insisting that they can protect the forest while retaining their ancestral rights.
The community has also previously accused security officers involved in eviction operations of destroying homes and property and killing livestock.
Human rights organisations have documented previous forced evictions and destruction of property involving Sengwer families in Embobut Forest.
Rights organisations have consequently called for conservation approaches that recognise the rights and participation of indigenous communities.
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With the reported seven-day deadline approaching, parents fear that an abrupt displacement could force children to leave their schools, separate them from teachers and classmates and disrupt preparations for examinations.
“We only want our children to learn in peace. The government should find a solution that protects the forest without destroying the education and future of our children,” Sogomo said.
By Kimutai Langat
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