Farmers in Makongeni have decried what they have said is stealing of their food crops by unknown people during the night.
The angry farmers who took their complaints to Makongeni Chief's office on Wednesday said that their crops ranging from vegetables, maize, beans to bananas have all fallen victim of the night theft which they said has been taking place in the last few days.
"We do not know who the thieves are but it seems they are group of people because they stealing in large scale. Two or three thieves cannot steal in more than five plots of land at a go," said Samson Gicheha, a victim.
The farmers said that they have rented the plots to do farming and that stealing of their crops would affect them negatively.
"It is from the sale of the current harvest, which is now being stolen, that I will be able to rent the plot in the next season. If the thieves are not identified and stopped we might have nothing to do the farming in the coming season," John Atiga said.
Margaret Kyuli said: "Most of us are not locals and we survive by supplementing the little income we earn by renting plots to do small scale farming in those plots. Something needs to be done to protect us from incurring further losses."
Makongeni Chief Daniel Waiguru promised them that a step will be taken to protect their crops from further theft.
"This is a hard task considering that theft is taking place in the farms at night but we will try all means possible to stop the vice. I, however, plead with you to feel free to forward the names of those you may suspect to be behind the theft," said Waiguru.