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30,000 'Land Warriors' Hiding in the Forest

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
January 12, 2007
Posted to the web January 12, 2007

By Isaiah Lucheli
Nairobi
Land clashes raging in Mt Elgon have taken a new turn after a group of people
opposed to the recent allocation exercise reportedly formed an armed wing to
resist the exercise.
People who were not allocated land in the Chebyuk settlement scheme are
reported to have formed the Sabaots Land Defence Force (SLDF) to oppose the
settlement of people in the area.
The fighters, who are said to be taking refuge in Mt Elgon forest to evade
crackdown by security forces, have vowed to continue with their violent raids
until the allocation is nullified. The skirmishes have seen over 16 schools
shut and 2,000 families displaced.
Religious leaders led by Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Diocesan Head of
Development Awareness Programme for Eldoret and Kitale dioceses Rev Maritim
Rirei visited the areas. Other religious leaders included Rev Dr Emanuel
Chemengich of Kitale, Rev Joseph Kebeney of Full Gospel, Mr Leornard Ndiema of
Eldoret and Mr Sam Wanyonyi of Bungoma diocese.
Rirei appealed to all parties involved to embrace dialogue.
A man who claimed to be SLDF Commander, and identified only as Matekwoi, said
youth had been recruited to fight the land allocation exercise.
Speaking to the press in his hideout near Huruma market in Mt Elgon, Matekwoi
called for the immediate arrest of a local politician who he accused of fanning
the violence.
He also called for the transfer of Western Provincial Commissioner, Mr Abdul
Mwasera, and nullification of the land allocation to pave way for fresh
exercise. Matekwoi vowed to continue with the violent raids until all the
demands are met.
But Mt Elgon DC Mr Kutswa Olaka dismissed the claims as propaganda by people
who were bitter after being left out in the allocations.
"How can people form an illegal organisation without the knowledge of the
security forces?" said the DC.
Olaka said Matekwoi is a criminal wanted by police for murder, arson and
destruction of property in the district.
Matekwoi accused the Government of allocating land to only 1,732 people out of
7,500 squatters who had been living in the Chebyuk settlement scheme since
1971.


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