Very many conspiracies have sprung up ever since the announcement of the desert locusts from neighboring Kenya allegedly entered Uganda through the Eastern Region, presumably Teso, and Karamoja early this week. The government has gone out of it’s way to ‘fight’ off the invasion before the said locusts could eat all green in the region(s).
To that effect, Ugx15 billion was set aside to help the ministry of Agriculture to wade off these dangerous pests. More to that, over 36000 litres of pesticides were also acquired together with two planes, a number of drones to help spray the locusts, and over 2000 UPDF soldiers deployed to achieve a similar goal.
Speaking at celebrations to mark the 39th Tarehe Sita anniversary in Nakaseke District on Thursday, President Yoweri Museveni said that the government is ready to decisively deal with locusts in case they cross to Uganda.
However, on Wednesday, the head of the inter-ministerial task force set up to fight locusts, Mr Stephen Byantwale, said that government was facing hardship in acquiring recommended chemicals for desert locust control due to limited supply on the market.
Just more recently, the ministry cried out that it needed an extra Ugx7bn to fight off the locusts that posed a great problem to vegetation in Uganda. However, rumor has it that Uganda is facing very small swarms of desert locusts, moreover the dormant type.
For starters, the state minister in charge of Animal Husbandry in the ministry of Agriculture Bright Rwamirama disclosed to Parliament that the locusts that entered the country are in their last cycle of their life and not destructive.
Which poses the question, where did the Ugx15bn go?
- At least 2,000 UPDF soldiers have been trained to carry out small scale spraying.
- Over 2,000 hand sprays where airlifted to Moroto to support in the spraying against locusts.
- 2 planes where chartered.
- Drones were also brought into the fight against locusts.
- Over 36,000 litres of pesticides were acquired.
- Ugx11b out of Ugx15b was paid as subscription fee to the Desert Locust Control Organisation for East Africa (DLCO-EA), a regional locusts control body.
