Locusts were visiting five counties then leave, says CS Munya

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya on Tuesday said the desert locusts in at least five counties ware just a ‘visit’ after which they would ‘leave’.

Munya was giving an official address on locust invasion at Wilson Airport where he updated on state’s progress on fighting the ravenous insects.

Since their invasion into the country in December last year, locust swarms have been reported in at least 26 counties. For Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni, Nakuru and Bungoma Counties, Munya said that the insects were paying visits after which they would leave.

“In counties like Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni, Nakuru and Bungoma they had just small swarms passing or stopping there and then moving out, it is just visiting,” said Munya

He added that the government has set aside another Sh 300 million in fight against desert locust in the country bringing the total amount to Sh 530 million.

Munya, however, accused members of the public for the widespread of the desert locust for ‘scaring them away once they landed in their area’.

“Part of the problem of the spread was when the initial swarms came in the country and they were sprayed they split into small swarms and when the people spotted them they scared them hence splitting further and that is where you saw rapid spread into counties that would not be affected if it was handled differently,” he added.