This archive report was first published on 23 November 2019.
Published on November 23, 2019, a report revealed that Kenya is losing nearly Sh20 billion annually due to tsetse fly infestation. The infestation affects at least 138,000 square kilometers of land, including 38 out of 47 counties.
The situation is particularly dire in the coast region, where counties such as Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River, Kwale, Lamu, and Taita Taveta are highly infested. Experts warn that the continuous spread of the insect is weighing heavily on the country's economic prosperity.
The tsetse fly is a major threat to agriculture, public health, and tourism, which are the main economic activities in the coast region. The insect spreads Nagana in animals and sleeping sickness to humans, posing a significant risk to the health and well-being of millions of people.
According to the Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTTEC), at least 11 million people in Kenya are at a high risk of contracting sleeping sickness. KENTTEC Coast Regional Coordinator Moses Cheruiyot emphasized the economic impact of the tsetse fly infestation, stating that the country is forced to use billions of shillings to import drugs and pesticides.
"Tsetse flies spread diseases that kill animals and human beings. Nagana causes abortion and a drop in milk production in lactating animals," said Mr. Cheruiyot during the Kenya Science Journalist congress.
The congress, organized by the Media for Environment, Science, Health, and Agriculture, brought together over 100 science journalists and experts from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Malawi. Mr. Cheruiyot highlighted the devastating effects of the tsetse fly infestation on the coast residents, including the inability to access grazing fields and the resulting increase in poverty levels.
"The farmers are selling their animals at low prices. They cannot export their products," said Mr. Cheruiyot. He also mentioned that the government, in collaboration with partners such as the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology and the Food Agriculture Organization, has designed a roadmap to mitigate against the spread of diseases caused by the tsetse fly in the coast region.
