The Council of Governors has urged the national government to fight the spread of desert locusts, even as it battles coronavirus.
Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) said the national government seems to have focused most of its efforts on fighting Covid-19 at the expense of the war on locusts.
He said the insects pose a serious threat to food security in the coming months. “Locusts are not on vacation because the pounding rains provide conducive breeding ground, after which they spread,” Oparanya said Monday.
Some of the counties hit by the locusts include Turkana, Isiolo, Marsabit, Wajir, Garissa, Samburu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Nyandarua and Trans Nzoia.
“We are not saying that the national government is not doing anything at all, but we want to see the same effort put in the Covid-19 fight applied to locust control as well,” Oparanya said.
He said Kenya’s food security will be at stake if the locusts spread to the rest of the counties during the planting season.
“We need concerted efforts at all levels of government and support from other stakeholders plus adequate funding to deal with the spread of the insects,” Oparanya said.
He said the locusts are invading food basket counties. Oparanya urged the national government to encourage development partners to provide funding, capacity building and expertise to contain the spread of locusts.
Edited by Frank Obonyo
