• Kenya’s Mau Forest Swindle

    Lynette Mwangi     |      September 16, 2009

    Kenya’s political headlines are monopolised by scandals, of which the Mau Forest swindle is perhaps the most scandalous.

    The Mau Forest complex saga has been an ongoing subject of political discussion over the past few years. Located in Western Kenya, it is the country’s largest forest, housing the nation’s main water tower.

    As of 2001, during former President Daniel Moi’s administration, approximately 40,000 hectares in the heart of the forest was excised from Kenyans by corrupt political leaders. This corruptly grabbed land was acquired by both past and present politicians. The land was then sold off to gullible buyers who either settled or subdivided their ‘rightful’ chunks of land.