President William Ruto’s development tour of Narok County, accompanied by his deputy Kithure Kindiki, has sparked major controversy due to some of his statements viewed to be untrue. 

Residents of Narok became entangled in a web of deceit surrounding the President’s promises, which included the resettlement of 13,000 families evicted from the Mau Forest to facilitate the conservation of this important water tower.

His remarks concerning 5,600 acres of land belonging to the estate of former Provincial Commissioner Isaiah Cheluget have sparked controversy, leading to speculation that the president was not truthful.

While addressing Narok South residents at the Sogoo trading centre, Ruto claimed that he had consultations with the late Cheluget to purchase the land for the resettlement of the squatters.

"Mimi najua tuko na matatizo mawili hawa wabunge na waheshimiwa wenu wanenieleza. Tuko na shamba hapa ya Cheluget imetuletea matatizo siku mingi. Sasa wacha mimi niwaambie maneno ya shamba ya Cheluget tumeita Cheluget, tumeketi chini na yeye tumekubaliana hiyo shamba tutanunua kama serikali alafu tutanunua wale wako pale waendelee na kuishi hapo. (We have two challenges, and your leaders have explained to me. We have the Cheluget farm that has caused us trouble for many days. Now let me tell you about the land, 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) said Ruto amid cheers from the locals.

It is, however, not clear when and where the President held the meeting with the late Cheluget.

Cheluget died on June 26, 2017, at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu. He was laid to rest at his Litein home in Kericho County. Isaiah Cheluget served as a Provincial Commissioner under President Daniel Moi's administration,

The family has been battling against 600 individuals claiming the land. Cheluget was allocated 5,800 acres of land in Narok South in 1974.

Fifteen (15) years ago, 600 individuals invaded the land and subdivided it amongst themselves kicking out the family of the late Cheluget and destroying their property.

Cheluget family and the individuals have had a long-protracted court battle all ruled in the favour of the family.

In the latest decision, the Environment and Lands Court in Narok dismissed cases filed by over 580 individuals against representatives of the estate of Cheluget.

In the case, they wanted the court to declare illegal the process under which Cheluget was registered as the owner of the land.

They also wanted the court to declare that the Cheluget family held the title of the land in trust for them.

The title in the name of Cheluget they said should also be canceled and that the land be demarcated and fresh titles issued to them.

Johnstone Kipkoech, the eldest son of late Cheluget in response denied that the ownership of the land by the deceased was acquired through fraud.

He averred that the land is in an area owned by the Purko clan of the Maasai tribe and Cheluget was given the same by one Ole Sandale, who was senior chief before Ilmotiok was declared an adjudication section in 1973.

He said Cheluget was in peaceful enjoyment of the suit land until 1999 when some people invaded it claiming to be members of Sagamian community disrupting farming activities on the property.

On June 11, 2024, Judge Mbogo Charles Gitonga dismissed the suit by over 500 individuals.

It was confusing for the president to claim he had discussions over the land with a dead person.

In what was seen as remarks that seemed to clear the air over the Chelugut land issue, Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu said.  

"Today I am happy because you have made a decision that we have called the Cheluget family and agree to have the case pending in court withdrawn and live together that the people occupy the land," Ntutu. 

Another conflicting statement the president made on the second day of his tour, was the issue regarding the government's intention to compensate families evicted from Mau Forest.

When the matter of compensation came before the court, the court ruled out compensation to the families.

On October 13, 2022, a three-judge bench in a suit by over 500 evictees of the Maasai Mau Section of the Mau Forest complex, said the settlement of people in the area was illegal.

Judges John Mutungi, George Ong’ondo, and Mohammed Kullow of the Land and Environment Court found that settlement in the forest by individuals was illegal and should not have happened because it endangered the ecosystem.

The judges declared the eviction of families during the 2018 ‘Operation Okoa Msitu wa Mau’ by the government as lawful and ruled that none of the victims should be compensated.

However, yesterday Ruto said the government will compensate the evictees.

"It's either we will get you a land elsewhere or compensate you," said Ruto. His remarks appear to contradict the verdict of the court.

The President further said the state would construct schools for the locals who were evicted.

He said the government will construct at least 100 classrooms at a cost of over Sh150 million.

The President was informed that the locals had prepared a list of over 12, 000 individuals who were evicted.

Ruto revealed that at least 2,000 people had been compensated.

He also noted that his government had initiated the process of fencing the Mau Forest adding that the fence will cover over 100 kilometres of the forest.

"On Tuesday you saw me issue Mau Forest title deed, we have said we don't want anyone else into the forest, already I have erected a fence," he said.

Fencing of the forest, however, started in January 2021 with 30-kilometre fence with CCTV stretching from Kibenet area to Triangle.

The installation of the fence was completed in July 2022.

Another promise the president made to Narok residents on Monday, was an allocation of an extra 6,000 acres in Kedong Ranch to members of the Maasai community.

The promise was met with joy and reservations among members of the community who noted that flood victims of the nearby Mai Mahiu area were promised resettlement one year ago and this was never fulfilled.

During the tour, the president said that the government would acquire 6,000 acres in the vast ranch located along the Mai Mahiu-Narok Road bringing to total 10,000 acres that the community has received from the State.

But speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior officer from Kedong said that they were not aware of the planned acquisition and had learnt about the news through the media.

The source noted that the previous government acquired 4,000 acres for members of the community who had since been resettled on the land.

“The process of acquiring such land is long and tedious and requires valuation from government officers and other legal process,”

“There are procedures on how to acquire private land and we are not aware of any plans to give an extra 6,000 acres but we are always ready to work with the government,” said the officer.

One of the community leaders, Mike Roka, however, welcomed the decision by the President saying that they were ready for the extra 6,000 acres.

He said that families that were displaced by the Mai Mahiu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) were resettled in the 4,000 acres that had been acquired by the Jubilee government.

“All the affected families moved into the land over four years ago and we are looking towards the new promise of 6,000 acres and hope that this exercise will not be politicized,” he said.

Another elder Moses Ole Kishami noted that some members were left out of the first resettlement which according to him benefitted members of the Kitet community only.

He was wary of the promise by the President, noting that in the past, elders had been involved in the acquisition and sub-division of the 4,000 acres.

“The President has made some wild promise like that of constructing an airport in Narok and we hope that the promise of getting an extra 6,000 acres from Kedong will materialize,” he said.

Additional reporting by Antony Gitonga