Locusts invade Nakuru's Subukia subcounty

Locusts -- maybe the second generation - -have invaded Subukia subcounty county in Nakuru and residents say they cannot chase them away for fear of the coronavirus.

They're calling the situation a double tragedy.

Assistant county commissioner Joyce Onduso said the locusts first appeared during the weekend but after the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru sprayed them they disappeared.

On Thursday they returned with a vengeance, she said at her office at Subukia Center on Thursday.

Onduso said the CDN sprayed over the weekend because they wanted to preserve their famous Holy Shrine and everybody was excited and felt God had performed a miracle.

Millions returned.

Onduso said the worst affected area was Wageges location where they have descended on cabbages and maize since morning.

She said the sky is dark and the sun cannot penetrate the swarm.

Area Chief John Koskei, said the residents feel it’s a double punishment from God and many of them have formed prayer groups to petition the Almighty to save them from the coronavirus and hunger after locusts eat their crops.

He said since the locusts invaded Kenya three months ago, people have been reading and hearing about them. They never thought they would land in their fields.

He said had it not been for the government order to stay indoors due to the coronavirus, many of them would be beating drums, banging pots and pans to scare them away as people in Eastern were doing.

Subukia subcounty is one of the most productive areas in the county and the locust invasion will definitely affect the production of vegetables and maize.

(Edited by V. Graham)