Mandera faces new desert locust invasion

Just hours after the country was declared locust-free, a swarm invaded Rhamu Dimtu ward in Mandera on Monday evening.

Agriculture officials in Mandera confirmed that an approximate area of about 200 hectares had been invaded.

“We are experiencing an invasion of desert locusts in Rhamu Dimtu ward in Mandera North since last evening. They moved in from Ethiopia  and residents were using traditional ways to keep the swam away,” said Noor Mohamed Abdinur, who is the area MCA.

Following the invasion, Mandera Governor Ali Roba urged the national government to act swiftly and contain the locusts before they spread beyond Mandera.

“The locusts have affected the region which is reeling from drought and may destroy pasture for the pastoralists living in the area,” he said.

The invasion came a few hours after Agricultural experts declared Kenya free of desert locusts.

Mr Collin Micheni, director of plant protection and food safety at the Ministry of Agriculture, had earlier on Monday attributed the eradication to both climatic effects, especially the direction of wind, and interventions from the ministry and its partner agencies.

"There are no traces of the desert locust eggs in the country. They were all destroyed by the chemicals sprayed on the affected areas," Mr Micheni said.

With only a small number of locusts in neighbouring Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, he said, Kenya is safe for now.

In a quick response, Mr Hamisi Williams, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Kenya Assistant Representative said intervention measures have been activated.

He said desert locusts are migratory insects that can fly for upto 140 Kilometres per day depending on the direction of the wind.

“We have always maintained that this freedom is dependent on what happens in our neighbouring countries of Ethiopia and Somalia,” he said.

Mr Williams said what has been reported in Mandera is a small stray swarm that has come from the neighbouring countries.

“We have been monitoring the swarms’ movement closely. As FAO Kenya we are planning with the government to commence spraying tomorrow. We shall decimate it to quickly reclaim our freedom status,” he said.

Two waves of the insects hit the country starting in November 2019 after a 70-year absence.

Desert locusts, according to experts, depend on the movement of wind and currently the monsoon winds are blowing from Kenya and Somalia towards the Middle East.

Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen are among counties still reporting desert locust invasion and change of direction by wind puts Kenya at risk.

Monsoon winds usually change direction in November, blowing from the Arabian Peninsula to East Africa.

Experts have since warned that failure to control the desert locusts by neighbouring countries puts Kenya at risk.

When the locusts first invaded Kenya in November 2019, the country was caught off guard, with limited skills to control the plague.

The pests reappeared after a 70-year absence.