President Uhuru Kenyatta has finally broken his silence on the Maasai Mau forest standoff following a demand from a section of Rift Valley leaders.

The leaders led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen had claimed that environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko had moved to evict people from Mau forest trust land without any order from the government.

But on Thursday, the government spokesman Cyrus Oguna said that President Kenyatta-led government ordered for Mau evictions.

Oguna further revealed that the government will move to push out squatters in Mt Kenya and Abardare forests. This is in an effort to conserve Kenya’s forests.

A section of Jubilee legislators from the Rift Valley had accused President Kenyatta of using “personal differences” with Deputy President William Ruto to oppress Mau forest settlers.

The MPs – Ronald Tonui (Bomet Central), Dominic Koskei (Sotik) and Joseph Ruto (Kuresoi South) alongside Segemian MCA Wesley Koech said Uhuru would order a stop to planned evictions if he had the people’s interests at heart.

The MPs spoke on Wednesday in Sabetet and Sierra Leone in Narok South subcounty.

Tonui said the evictions have caused tension and disunity among communities living in the area.

He accused Uhuru of turning a blind eye to the evictions “yet the people living there voted for him in the last General Election”.