President William Ruto's recent development tour of Narok County, accompanied by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, has stirred controversy due to statements perceived as untrue. The tour, which included the launch of the Sogoo-Melelo-Ololung’a Road, the Amalo Sub-County Office, and the construction of a Level 4 Hospital at Sogoo Trading Centre, was overshadowed by contentious remarks regarding land resettlement and compensation.

A central point of contention revolves around Ruto's claims regarding 5,600 acres of land belonging to the estate of former Provincial Commissioner Isaiah Cheluget. Ruto stated he had consulted with the late Cheluget to purchase the land for resettling squatters. "We have called Cheluget, sat down with him, and we have agreed that we will buy the farm as a government, and those in there will continue living there," Ruto said. However, Cheluget passed away on June 26, 2017, raising questions about the possibility of such consultations. Cheluget's family has been engaged in a protracted court battle with approximately 600 individuals claiming the land, with recent court decisions favoring the Cheluget estate. Johnstone Kipkoech, Cheluget's eldest son, refuted claims that his father acquired the land through fraud, asserting it was allocated by a senior chief before 1973.

Adding to the confusion, Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu stated that an agreement had been reached with the Cheluget family to withdraw the pending court case, allowing the current occupants to remain on the land. This statement seemingly aimed to clarify the situation surrounding the disputed land.

Another conflicting statement from President Ruto concerned the compensation of families evicted from the Mau Forest. Despite a 2022 court ruling that the settlement of people in the Mau Forest was illegal and that evictees should not be compensated, Ruto declared that the government would either provide alternative land or offer compensation. "It's either we will get you land elsewhere, or compensate you," Ruto stated. This declaration directly contradicts the court's verdict.

Ruto further announced plans to construct schools for the evicted locals, allocating over Sh150 million for at least 100 classrooms. He also mentioned that 2,000 people had already been compensated and that the government had initiated fencing of the Mau Forest, covering over 100 kilometers. However, reports indicate that the fencing project commenced in January 2021 and was completed in July 2022.

The President also pledged an additional 6,000 acres in Kedong Ranch to the Maasai community. While community leaders welcomed the promise, a senior officer from Kedong stated they were unaware of any planned acquisition. The officer noted that the previous government had acquired 4,000 acres for the community, and procedures for acquiring private land are lengthy and require government valuation.

Community leader Mike Roka expressed readiness for the additional land, noting that families displaced by the Mai Mahiu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) had been resettled on the previously acquired 4,000 acres. Elder Moses Ole Kishami raised concerns that some members were excluded from the initial resettlement and expressed skepticism about the new promise, referencing past unfulfilled pledges such as the construction of an airport in Narok.