Mau Forest is a forest complex in theRift Valley ofKenya. It is the largest indigenousmontane forest inEast Africa. The Mau Forest complex has an area of 273,300 hectares (675,000 acres).[1]
The forest area has some of the highest rainfall rates in Kenya.[1] Mau Forest is the largestdrainage basin in Kenya.[2] Numerous rivers originate from the forest, including theSouthern Ewaso Ng'iro,Sondu River,Mara River andNjoro River. These rivers feedLake Victoria,Lake Nakuru andLake Natron.[1] The western slopes of theMau Escarpment are covered by the Mau Forest.[1]
Typical tree species in the Mau Forest includeAningeria adolfi-friederici,Strombosia scheffleri, andPolyscias kikuyuensis.Olea capensis,Prunus africana,Albizia gummifera, andPodocarpus milanjianus are also found there.[1]
Endemic bird species in the area includeHartlaub's turaco (Tauraco hartlaubi),Hunter's cisticola (Cisticola hunteri) andJackson's spurfowl (Pternistis jacksoni).[1]
The forest has been traditionally inhabited byOgiek people, whosehunter-gatherer lifestyle is sustainable.[1] However, due to immigration from other ethnic groups, large parts of the forest area have been cleared for settlement.[1] Human activities, especiallylogging, have led todeforestation of more than a quarter of the area since 1973.[3][4] This is due to the increased charcoal trade in places like Narok town and the supply of logs to saw mills inBaringo,Nakuru andNarok counties.[5]
In 2008, the inauguration of the Sondu-Miriu hydro power plant was postponed due to low water levels, that are said to be resulting from the destruction of the Mau Forest.[2]
In the summer of 2008 there was a political row over resettlement of people, who had been allocated land there during theKANU era during the 1980s and 1990s. Some of the settlers are famed politicians, likeFranklin Bett andZakayo Cheruiyot. In 2004 Paul Ndung’u released "Ndungu Report", which listed these land allocations, terming them illegal and recommended revocation of them.[2] Some evictions were implemented between 2004 and 2006, without a resettlement scheme.[6]
On July 15, 2008, the then Prime Minister,Raila Odinga issued an order that the evictions be implemented by October 2008 in order to protect the forest from destruction.[7] The order has been opposed by number of Rift Valley area politicians, led byIsaac Ruto. Some politicians, led by Minister of AgricultureWilliam Ruto, propose that if evictions are implemented, the government should allocate them land elsewhere.[2]
The evictions began in November 2009. Some prominent people are set to lose their land, including family members of former presidentDaniel arap Moi.[8] Also under threat is theKiptagich Tea Factory owned by former president Moi.[9]
0°36′35″S35°44′08″E / 0.60972°S 35.73556°E /-0.60972; 35.73556