Peasant farmers from Kipsangui and Mmbasu villages in Soy sub location, Likuyani Sub County are worried over monkeys that have invaded their farms, destroying young crops and threatening farming activities in the area. Speaking to West Media, the farmers led by Mr. Joseph Mmbulika expressed their disappointment over damages caused by the animals on their farm.
They said they are staring at starvation as their hopes of harvesting this season were minimal due to the monkey invasion. The residents who mainly rely on the crops to support their families said the monkeys were destroying their maize immediately they start forming cobs and other crops such as bananas, cassavas, avocados among other fruits.
They said they fear that they may not have a good harvest this season if the situation was left unchecked. “We invested a lot of money to plough, buy seeds and fertilizer, plant, weed and top-dress our crops but all this has gone to waste and we are now incurring enormous losses. What you see here in our farms are only decorations standing stems with nothing on them,” said Mr. Mmbulika who regretted that this was happening when the residents are feeling the burden of buying a 2kg of maize at Kshs. 150.
Mrs. Josphine Afundi said the monkeys have also become a nuisance in their homes where they invade to scavenge for food. “If you leave your doors open you find your house ravaged. Yesterday they ate ‘githeri’ which I had prepared as lunch for my children,” she said, adding that the monkeys had eaten ugali at her neighbour’s kitchen.
Her sentiments were echoed by Mrs. Mary Muhati who said they have made numerous attempts to scare away the monkeys with the dogs but this has not worked. The farmers have appealed to the relevant government body to intervene before any human wildlife conflict erupts.