Do not eat the delicious Desert Locusts, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi cautions locals

 

Kilifi Governor Amason Jefwa King. FILE

Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi warns residents against eating desert locusts that have invaded the county from Lamu and Tana River counties.


The locals have utilised the pests into food, terming them sweet.

 

He also warned against chasing away locusts landed on vegetation in their communities as this increases the risk of intrusion. He also affirmed that the circumstance is under control.


The governor already dispatched a team of agricultural officers to Magarini Sub-county where the locusts were sighted for the first time.


“The team embarked on a surveillance mission, which included inspection of farms in Magarini and Malindi sub-counties. They verified that the pests have indeed attacked the county and are spreading fast,” said Mr Kingi.

The team visited Tangini village in Madina and Mtsungutsunguni village in Masindeni.

The team later proceeded to Jilore Ward in Jilore/Ziani (Sosoni B) and Hongera Bwagalau.



He added that already an estimated 900 acres and 50 acres of land in Marafa and Garashi have been affected respectively.


By Friday, the team established that the invasion had spread to all the seven sub-counties in Kilifi.


The response team will commence ground and aerial spraying within 10 days.

“Experts have discovered that the swarms are not aggressively feeding at the moment as they are more intent on breeding. This explains the minimal damage done to crops and vegetation so far,” he said.



“Attempting to scare them away will only cause them to reach distant areas and complicate control measures,” said the Governor.


The worst-hit areas are in Lamu county which includes Mangai, Bar’goni, Mswakini, Mararani, Pandanguo, Soroko, Promoko, Hindi, Mpeketoni, Maleli, Miruji, Kitumbini, Moa, Katsaka Kairu, Zebra and Boramoyo.