- KFS evictions in Maasai Mau, Narok County, have left tens of learners out of school, with several schools in the area now deserted.
- Parents have condemned the operation, alleging harassment by officers, destruction of property and exclusion from a compensation list.
- Parents and local leaders have appealed to the national and county governments to intervene, investigate the claims and help learners return to class.
Tens of learners in the Maasai Mau area of Narok County have been left out of school following evictions carried out by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
The evictions were conducted last night, leaving residents counting huge losses. Parents warned that the disruption could force some children to abandon their education altogether.
The affected learners and their parents had returned to the forest after missing out on a compensation programme. Several schools in the area have remained deserted as families seek shelter in areas where they have pitched camp.
Led by Maria Sirgoi and Florence Langat, the parents condemned the evictions, describing them as a violation of their children’s right to education. Speaking at Mekenyu and Sierra Leone, where they have pitched camp, they said they feared their children could permanently drop out of school because of the disruption. “We are worried that our children will completely discontinue their education. They have already missed school, and there is no certainty about when they will be able to return,” Sirgoi said.
The parents also questioned why they were excluded from the compensation programme despite, they claimed, having been listed among those initially identified for compensation. “We were listed initially, so we do not understand why our names were removed from the compensation list,” Langat said.
The parents further accused security officers involved in the eviction exercise of harassment, alleging that some officers broke into shops and houses, consumed food belonging to residents and slaughtered their chickens and goats. “We were treated badly during the operation. Officers entered our homes and shops, ate our food and even slaughtered our livestock,” one of the affected parents said. The residents also claimed that the operation affected some communities that had not crossed the designated cut-off line, a move they described as unacceptable.
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They said the evictions had come at a particularly difficult time for learners preparing for national examinations, warning that prolonged interruption of their studies could affect their performance. The parents said denying children an opportunity to continue with their education would have consequences beyond the immediate disruption. “If our children stop going to school, their future will be affected. It will also mean that poverty will continue from one generation to another in this region,” they said.
The parents are now appealing to the national and county governments, as well as other well-wishers, to intervene urgently and help affected families and learners resume their lives and education. They said they had nowhere else to go, maintaining that they had lived in the area for many years and considered it their home.
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Local leaders have also condemned the eviction exercise, with some accusing politicians from the region of interfering with the compensation list. The leaders called for an investigation into the allegations and urged authorities to ensure that affected families are treated fairly and that learners are supported to return to school.
The controversy comes amid long-running disputes over settlement, conservation and compensation in the Maasai Mau area, with affected communities continuing to demand clarity over who qualifies for compensation and how the process is administered.
By Kimutai Langat
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