Alarm as locusts invade parts of Kenya

Residents of Wajir and Mandera Counties have raised the alarm after swarms of desert locusts invaded parts of norther Kenya from neighbouring countries on Sunday.

The residents who rely on pastoralism are now worried about their livelihoods after invasion of the destructive pests which are threatening to wipe out vast grasslands.

Early this month, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that desert locusts which had hit Ethiopia and Somalia would spread to other Eastern countries including Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya and South Sudan if early and sustained measures are not taken.

In some parts of Ethiopia, farmers reported that the flying pests had decimated nearly 100 per cent of their crops.

According to residents, the locusts entered Kenya from the eastern side of Somalia and settled in Kotulo area, Wajir County around 4:30 pm.

Information from Wajir County Department of Agriculture indicates that they moved for close to two hours in the area before settling 8-10 kilometers away from Kutulo town which seats on the border of Wajir and Mandera.

In an interview with the Nation, Hassan Gure - an official from agricultural department - said the locusts cleared the area of all vegetation from the ground to the trees.

He said about 15-30 kilometres of the entire area visited by residents this morning had been affected by the pests leaving the area without a single vegetation.

"All the grass, shrubs and leaves from trees in the area have been wiped out by the locusts," he said.

He added that a section of residents had been dispatched to the area to get rid of the pests by use of localised methods including shouting, hooting vehicles while striking metal objects to scare them away.