Kenyans in 11 counties are staring at hunger following a second wave of invasion by gigantic swarms of desert locusts from neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia that continue to devour crops and vegetation.

The ravenous insects have invaded Wajir, Mandera, Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa, Samburu, Laikipia, Meru, Tharaka- Nithi and Turkana counties and have ravaged farms and grasslands, threatening food security for people and livestock.

Farmers in the counties have lamented over continued devastation of crops by the pests and asked the government to hasten dealing with the infestations as some of the swarms have already started maturing.

Some have been reported near Taita-Taveta and hopper bands spotted along the Coast.

Herders in northern Kenya counties fear the locusts could completely devour pasture and ignite resource-based conflicts.