Bring in the army: Uganda’s defence force to take on locust infestation

More than 2000 Ugandan soldiers have been deployed to help fight desert locust swarms that have invaded the country through the Karamoja region, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has confirmed. 

East Africa has been plagued by the swarms, which are threatening food security in some of the continent’s poorest regions that are already devastated by drought and battling famine. The swarms are now moving into other regions. 

UPDF spokesperson, brigadier Richard Karemire said during a media briefing at the UPDF headquarters in Mbuya, that the army was ready to give its all to assist with eradication of the insects. 

“As UPDF, we have put in the human resource of 2000 soldiers; other capabilities at our disposal like the air force, this morning have been airlifting material to the affected areas,” Karemire told East African Business Week. 

According to the Nile Post, Uganda’s department of agriculture – which is the lead agency in dealing with the insect swarms – confirmed on Monday that two army choppers carrying about 36 000 litres of pesticide had already been been dispatched to Karamoja.

Karemire said that the deployed soldiers would be used in various tasks according to their skill sets. 

More soldiers would be deployed if they were needed, general David Muhoozi, chief of the country’s defence force, told East African Business Week. 

“We are collaborating with the ministry of agriculture and we have trained 2000 soldiers who will be deployed at the affected areas immediately, the task we have ahead of us is too huge and we will mobilise more if in need,” Muhoozi was quoted as saying.

Locust infestation worst in 70 years

The United Nations said earlier this week that the infestation in Kenya was the worst in 70 years, while Somalia and Ethiopia were experiencing their worst outbreaks in 25 years, placing crop production, food security and millions of lives at risk. 

The swarms spilled into Uganda overnight on Monday, according to the UN, which added that Tanzania and South Sudan had been placed on “watch lists” for the pests. 

“An average swarm, which contains up to 40 million insects, can travel up to 150 km in a single day and can devour enough food to feed 34 million people within that time,” according to the UN.  

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Desiree Erasmus