Residents of Busia Municipality have appealed to the government to intervene in a persistent bedbug infestation that they say is resistant to conventional insecticide sprays available on the local market.
The most affected areas include Mbale Kidogo, Solo B and Mawero villages in the municipality’s Eastern and Western divisions, where residents say they have sprayed their houses several times without success.
Some residents say they have also organised communal cleaning exercises in their homes and compounds, but the infestation has persisted, with some families reporting that they have lived with bedbugs for years.
The complaints have raised concerns about possible insecticide resistance. Scientific studies have established that bedbugs can develop resistance to several classes of insecticides, particularly pyrethroids, which are among the chemicals commonly used to control them.
A major scientific review found that resistance in bedbugs can occur through several mechanisms, including changes to their outer cuticle that reduce insecticide penetration, increased activity of detoxification enzymes such as cytochrome P450s and esterases, and genetic mutations that make their nervous systems less sensitive to some insecticides.
Research has also shown that switching between commonly used chemicals does not necessarily solve the problem. A 2023 study of field populations found very high levels of resistance to the pyrethroid deltamethrin in several populations, while some populations also showed resistance to neonicotinoids. Some resistant populations required concentrations hundreds or even more than 2,000 times higher than those required to kill a susceptible laboratory strain.
Residents in Busia say the chemicals they purchase from veterinary shops have failed to provide lasting relief.
Robart Friday Were, the general secretary of Mbale Kidogo village, said the persistence of the pests had become so frustrating that some residents had started joking that the village was being attacked by “ghosts” in the form of bedbugs.
“This problem has gone on for a long time. We spray, clean and try different methods, but the bedbugs keep coming back,” Were said.
Namatovu Keti, a resident, said she was worried about the health effects of being bitten repeatedly.
“We are bitten every night. We are worried that this could lead to skin diseases that we do not know about,” she said, appealing to the authorities to organise door-to-door treatment.
Elizabeth Mpima, 78, said the infestation had made it difficult for her to sleep.
“I spend almost the whole night removing bedbugs from my body,” she said.
Jackline Erumbi attributed the problem partly to poor sanitation and inadequate garbage collection in the area. She said residents were struggling to dispose of household waste because the garbage contractor charges a fee that many residents cannot afford.
Dick Maena, Busia district assistant health officer in charge of environment, also linked the growing infestation to poor personal hygiene and sanitation. He said the district planned to conduct community sensitisation on hygiene and sanitation.
But the scientific evidence suggests that sanitation alone cannot explain bedbug infestations. Bedbugs primarily live in and around sleeping areas, hiding in mattress seams, bed frames, furniture, cracks and other crevices. They can also spread when people move infested furniture, clothing or other belongings.
Public health authorities recommend an integrated approach rather than relying exclusively on repeated spraying. Integrated pest management combines chemical control with measures such as thorough inspection, vacuuming, steam treatment, laundering and heat treatment, where appropriate. The approach is intended to reduce reliance on insecticides and slow the development of resistance.
Juma Odero, the Busia town deputy mayor, apologised to residents over the municipality’s garbage management challenges and urged households to maintain proper hygiene as the authorities work on improving waste collection.