Residents of Busibwabu village in Matayos constituency, Busia County are living in fear after insects resembling the dreaded desert locusts were spotted in the area. Led by area MCA George Busera, the residents say the insects, yellow in colour, appeared in the area five days ago, “The ones we saw first were big but they disappeared and left one young ones which are not able to fly.”
Their fear is that the young ones are mysteriously multiplying very fast and have started eating vegetables. They have now called on the government to send agricultural experts in the area and assess them before taking appropriate action to tackle them, “This should be done swiftly before they cause destruction in this area and Busia County at large if indeed they are locusts.”
If the insects are confirmed to be desert locusts then this will be the first sighting to be reported in Busia County since their invasion in at least 15 Counties across the country. This even as Katakwa diocese Bishop John Okude has challenged the government to increase efforts in the fight against the locusts’ invasion in the country, “The government is really trying but let it do more and ensure the locusts menace is handled effectively to protect millions of farmers who may incur loss due to the insects.”