Abstract:
The Mau Forestland has recently become a subject of intense public debate and national
politics especially regards to issues such as ethnicity, land question, environmental
conservation and management and electoral politcs in general. The forest land has
historically been experiencing massive degradation heading to complete decimation. The
situation has triggered conflicts among communities and between these communities and
the government. Land use dynamics in the exploitation of forest resources are responsible
for continued depletion reaching alarming levels by the beginning of the twenty-first
century. The study thus attempts to account for land use changes in the Mau Forest between
1600 and 2018. The study interrogated land use change over time in the Mau Forest to
give a deeper understanding of its history that will eventually give solutions to the
diminution challenge. This is because solutions to human and ecological challenges are
best solved when one first understands the underlying historical topography. The study
adopted Beinart’s and Blaikie's views on political ecology theoretical frameworks. A wide
range of interconnected methods of data collection was employed in the hope that a better
fix on historical facts would be achieved. In that case, this study adopted an ex-post facto
research design. The study also adopted the purposive sampling method. The data inputs
were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. Data was then presented by the
use of figures, tables, and pictures especially when showing how patterns have changed
over time. Interpretation was backed by explanations in a narrative form by pegging
theories with facts. It was found that pre-colonial land use and conservation were based on
the co-existence of humanity and nature. The colonial forestland administration resulted in
the diminution of customary rights, as well as the decline of traditional conservation and
management systems. During the post-colonial period, the Mau Forestland became the
centre of human rights abuses, politics, impoverishment and depletion. Efforts put in place
for forest reclamation are bearing fruits as a result of multi-sectoral efforts and the
enactment of the constitution and its subsequent legislative reforms.
