Residents of Ilng’osuani sub-location in Kajiado Central have joined forces to uproot the invasive weed Ipomoea carnea, commonly known as Bush Morning Glory, which has overtaken their grazing fields. The initiative comes as they await the long rains, aiming to curb the weed’s spread before it flowers.
Led by Senior Assistant Chief Maureen Maya, community members are working in teams to manually remove the weed, which has significantly reduced pasture availability for livestock.
“Several acres of land have been invaded by the choke weed, and this greatly affects the growth of the much-needed pasture for our animals. We are uprooting it before it flowers because controlling it after the rains isn’t effective,” said Chief Maya.
She acknowledged that the uprooting method is labor-intensive and time-consuming but emphasized that it remains the only viable option since livestock cannot consume the weed, and no effective herbicide has been developed yet.
The weed spreads rapidly through stem fragments and seeds, which are easily carried by floodwaters.
It is particularly harmful to cattle when consumed in large quantities and can be toxic to goats, affecting their central nervous system.
“We have observed that once the weed matures, its hairy seeds are easily dispersed by water and regrow after rains. However, uprooting it before maturity prevents regeneration, which is why we are tackling it now,” Maya explained.
Beyond controlling the invasive species, Chief Maya is also encouraging residents to plant and nurture trees as part of climate change mitigation efforts.
John Rakita, a resident of Ilng’osuani, highlighted the economic toll of weed on the community. “Livestock is our backbone, and this weed has led to significant losses as we are forced to move our animals in search of pasture.”
Another resident, Faith Topoika, noted the increased workload brought about by the weed’s spread. “Since the introduction of this weed, we have to search for grazing areas that have not been invaded, making our daily tasks even harder.”
The Ipomoea carnea weed was first detected in Kenya during the 1997 El Niño rains and has since spread to an estimated three million acres in Kajiado County alone.
In June last year, Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku declared the invasive weed a county disaster, citing it as a massive threat to pastoralism in the region.
