Locusts invade Machakos, Makueni and Laikipia

Desert locusts have now invaded Machakos and Makueni and Laikipia counties, raising the total to at least 15.

Agriculture CS Peter Munya said the locust invasion is growing every day. 

"Locusts are now becoming part of our habitat due to climate change and challenges we have in the region," the CS said   

He said locusts have been reported in Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Samburu, Turkana, Garissa, Meru, Tana River, Taita Taveta, Tharaka Nithi and Kitui. 

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Munya said the locust upsurge is unpredictable because the swarms are coming from neigbouring countries such as Somalia and Ethiopia.

Tracking in those countries is not very accurate.

“The instruments for tracking are quite limited, but the UN Food and Agriculture Organization is supporting the government in projection. They have offices in those countries and they have the technology,” Munya said.

FAO said immature swarms continue to arrive and disperse throughout northern and central Kenya.

“So far, only a few swarms have started to mature. In the southeast, fledgings occurred near Taita Taveta and a few late hopper bands were present along the Coast,” FAO said in its latest locust watch.

Munya said part of the problem is climate change, adding that the locust invasion is a phenomenon Kenya has not experienced for almost 70 years.

 “We were able to deal with the first invasion and cleared most of it. There were few remnants of eggs but we dealt with them."

Munya said the control process in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Yemen, Eritrea and Somalia is slow, hence, the winds are moving the swarms to Kenya.

“We have to keep dealing with them and we have been spraying them. We have many aircraft in the northern frontier. We have a ground teams spraying where appropriate and another team doing aerial spraying where need be,” he said.

Munya said the country is not out of danger but the government with the support of FAO is managing the desert locust situation.

(Edited by V. Graham)