Rain, weak pesticide frustrate locust fight in Mwingi

Heavy rains and weak pesticides have hampered efforts to destroy the desert locusts invading people's farms, the Kitui deputy governor has said. 

Deputy Governor Wathe Nzau has been coordinating multi-agency efforts to destroy the locusts for a week. 

Addressing journalists in Kitui on Thursday he said information from the Locust Control Centre, which was moved from Isiolo to Masinga in Machakos county, was that spraying had been put on hold for two days.

“I visited the Masinga centre late on Wednesday. They told me that they were waiting for a more potent chemical that can effectively eliminate the locust," he said.

"On the other hand the rain appears to have subsided and aerial spraying can resume without much ado."

The lull in the spraying had caused an uproar among farmers who are counting huge losses as swarms of desert locusts continue to ravage their crops.

Farmers had also questioned why, despite aerial spraying taking place, the locusts were still alive. 

Experts explained that the pesticide used was not highly concentrated so as not to harm humans and livestock but would kill the locusts within 72 hours.

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna on Thursday said every pesticide being used is effective and serves different purposes.

Speaking to the media at Masinga Airstrip, where aerial spraying is co-ordinated, he said the government purposes to end the infestation.

Oguna said the pesticides that take two to three days destroy the locusts kill both the insects and their eggs.

“The government assures the country that the Locust Invasion is being controlled and the efforts will continue until the situation is contained,” the spokesman said.

The locust migrated to Kitui from Tana River and Tharaka  Nithi counties and have ravaged swathes of farmland in Tseikuru, Kyuso, Mwingi Central, Migwani, Mwingi Central and Mwingi East subcounties.

Besides Kitui, other counties that have been invaded include Machakos, Embu, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Samburu, Meru, Turkana, Tana River, Baringo and Laikipia.

Dr Nzau said on Thursday the rain that had pounded the area for four days had led to poor visibility, making it difficult to carry out aerial spraying.

“We are also faced with another challenge of using pesticides that are only 50 per cent potent. The chemicals were not effectively decimating the locust,” he told journalists.

On Thursday morning, farmer Martin Nzusi from Kakongo sublocation in Mwingi West complained that since the locusts invaded the area four days ago, no aerial spraying had taken place.

“We have been scaring the locust away by shouting at them and making funny sounds as well as beating drums, but they do not go far. They have caused serious damage to crops and pasture,” he said on the phone.

Nzau said now that the rains had subsided they would go back to aerial spraying and by Saturday the locusts will have been exterminated. 

“We expected more potent pesticides to have arrived by Wednesday night,” the deputy governor said.

Esther Kyallo, a farmer from Nguni, said she had expected to harvest more than 10 bags of green grams but now she has nothing left.

Like many farmers who have lost their crop to the insects, Esther wants the government to compensate her.

“It is so unfortunate that God had blessed us with a lot of food but we are staring at famine as we are not going to harvest the expected bumper yield as locusts have eaten up our crops,” Kyallo said. 

Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya