Locusts return to Teso sub-region in full force

A new swarm of locusts has invaded parts of Teso sub region. The swarm was sighted on Sunday afternoon.

The Kumi district chairperson Christine Apolot described the swarm as, "ten times bigger" than the last one that invaded the region at the beginning of the year.

Eye witnesses describe insects in the swarm as possessing three distinct colours: purple, reddish and yellow.

 

The insects descended on gardens of cow peas, soya beans, millet, sorghum. By far their favourite target was Echomai, a wild delicacy in Teso.

Tisei, Kanapa, Ongino Subcounty, Kumi, sub-counties and parts of Kumi Municipality are among the affected areas.

The swarm consisted of older locusts and seemingly younger ones that had recently hatched.

By press time, the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) response team was busy spraying using hand pumps though some were noticeably not in good working condition.

On March 21, another swarm of locusts was reported in Moroto. It is not clear whether the Teso invasion is a spill over from Karamoja or a fresh invasion.

Christine Apolot has appealed to government to avail the district with spray pumps to avoid reliance on only UPDF.

The return of these locusts comes at a time when Uganda and the world is reeling from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. Uganda has been under lockdown since March 31 with only essential economic activity allowed, agriculture one of these.

Edited by David Tumusiime