Farmers in four villages within Nyatoto Sub Location, Suba South constituency are counting losses after hippos destroyed their crops over the weekend.
The farmers from Matunga, Lwala, Ruma Pap and Opuch villages lamented that they were staring at starvation after their crops were destroyed by the wild animals and urged relevant authorities to help them restrain the herbivorous.
One of them Alice Odino said the hippos invaded farms destroying maize, sweet potatoes and sorghum.
Odino told KNA the hippos whose habitat is Lake Victoria got to their farms through river Lambwe.
“These hippos have become a menace to us because they eat and trample on crops. It’s very hard to deal with them because they invade farms at night,” Odino said.
The farmers also appealed to the County government of Homa Bay to help them with seeds for replanting.
Ruma Location Chief Banjamin Omodo said they have reported the matter to Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) in Homa Bay town.
He said more than 25 acres of crop have reportedly been destroyed in the last one week.
“The matter has been registered with the KWS office in Homa Bay for intervention,” Omodo said.
By Davis Langat
