Kilifi Agriculture executive Luciana Sanzua has denied claims of locusts invasion in the county.
Speaking in her office on Tuesday, Sanzua said the locust-like insects spotted in Ganze on Monday were not the invasive desert locusts.
She said the insects are longhorn grasshoppers, which are not harmful.
“It is true that we received a report and pictures of grasshoppers feasting mikode trees in Dzifahe Ganze subcounty. We mobilized our surveillance team and it was discovered that it is just a different type of grasshoppers and not locusts,” Sanzua said.
The CEC assured farmers that a surveillance team has been formed to monitor any suspicious insect.
“There is no cause for alarm at the moment. We have a team of experts who will be in contact with farmers should there be any eventuality. We held a meeting where strategies were laid to make sure we monitor the movement of the locusts should they get to our area,” she said
There was panic in Malanga on Monday when residents woke up and found several of the long-horned grasshoppers on trees near a church in Dzifahe.
Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire urged the county to move with speed to establish if the insects were locusts.
“I have seen photos from the ground and the insects look like locusts but that is for the experts to prove. Farmers need constant updates on these insects as they can be a threat to our food security,” Mwambire said.
