Farmers vow action against daring monkeys

Residents from parts of Trans-Nzoia County have threatened to kill hungry monkeys invading their homes and farms to destroy crops.

Dozens of monkeys have not only invaded farmlands but several homes in search of food.

The monkeys from the local three forests targeting fruits and vegetable farms in the area have also invaded homes to steal food.

For the past weeks the animals have left a trail of destructions on farms in Maziwa, Kibomet, Naisambu, Makunga and Bidii areas.

Behaving like human beings, the monkeys sneak to the homes in the area to steal food with some residents forced to spare time to chase the animals.

The monkeys from KCC, Showground and Section six forest troops invade farms and homes both day and night desperately looking for food.

Residents particularly fruit and vegetable farmers complained that they have incurred huge losses from the massive destruction from the monkeys.

Alice Munyua, a resident, bitterly complained how she on Saturday after she arrived from visiting a relative only to found that the animals had sneaked into her house and consumed maize flour and vegetable on her garden.

Munyua ’s children had left the house unlocked as they played in the nearby field with their age mates.

“My family had to sleep hungry because the maize flour and vegetable had been consumed by the monkeys while the children were playing at the nearby field,” said lamented.

Ms Grace Wekesa, a resident of Maziwa protested that monkeys invaded her fruit farm and destroyed her crops.

“I had spent a lot of money on the crops including chemicals but there is no harvest. My investment has been ruined and it is a big loss,” Ms Wekesa complained.

She added “I have never experienced such massive destruction by the monkeys. I have even spent some money to hire a watchman to protect my crops but this has not worked.”

Some farmers growing maize through irrigation have also encountered the problems caused by the monkeys.

Like James Kariuki who had leased one acre and planted sukuma wiki and carrots is staring at empty field after the monkeys descended on the farm.

“My vegetable and carrots were ready for harvest. I expected to sell and get money to pay fees for my children next year but my sweat has gone to a waste,” Kariuki explained bitterly.

Residents blamed the invasion on massive destruction of the forests by illegal loggers which has left the inhabitants including the monkeys vulnerable.

Over 30 farmers and several households have been affected by the menace by the monkey.

Some farmers have been forced to hire watchmen to guard their farms both day and night.

The residents vowed to kill the animals unless Kenya Wildlife Service KWS intervened.

‘These monkeys have become a menace to us. We will kill them unless they are stopped from invading our farms,’’ Kariuki warned.