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Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna (pictured) insisted leaders from the region will vehemently oppose any regulations aimed at upholding the lift of the ban through the legislative houses and the court/FILE

NATIONAL NEWS

Azimio-leaning lawmakers from western region protest lifting of GMO ban

The legislators dismissed as misleading, the justification given by government that the lift of the GMO ban will help the nation avert food insecurity.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 12 — A section of leaders from the Western region have protested the move by President William Ruto’s administration to lift the genetically modified organism (GMO) ban saying it poses a threat to livelihoods of farmers in the region.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, lawmakers led by Saboti MP Caleb Amisi faulted the move by Ruto’s regime to lift the 10-year ban on GMOs without public participation of key stakeholders or the backing of scientific research that could substantiate the lift of the ban.

“We are not overly surprised by this Kenya Kwanza approach, because aside from appearing like a text book definition of a ‘roadside declarations regime’, its appetite for vengeful reversals of the policies of Uhuru Kenyatta’s government seem to blind it from greater public good,” said Amisi.

The legislators dismissed as misleading, the justification given by government that the lift of the GMO ban will help the nation avert food insecurity.

The leaders argued that 80 per cent of the food consumed in Kenya is produced by small scale farmers and the introduction of GMOs in the country will expose farmers to exorbitant prices of GMO seeds that will ensnare them in debt.

“This is not the bottom-up economics that poor Kenyan farmers were promised, it certainly doesn’t please the Lord, and we leave it to Him to revenge on behalf of our poor rural farmers who shall be oppressed by this latest move,” stated Amisi.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna insisted leaders from the region will vehemently oppose any regulations aimed at upholding the lift of the ban through the legislative houses and the court.

“We have seen the courts revoke certain regulations and laws that are way more inconsequential because they had not been subjected to public participation. This issue is grave about our health,” said Sifuna.

Sifuna chided that if indeed the Ruto regime’s were so guided by the principles of religion they would understand that the Catholic Church has raised alarm over the use of GMOs.

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“Most of us are Catholics and we take dictates of our life from Pope Francis and his stand on GMO in 2015 was that we should not embrace them since they interfere with the genetic make up of plants and animals,” he stated.

Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi sharply criticized Ruto’s move which he argued was premised on the “pretense of solving food insecurity yet in essence the government is seeking to “serve the interests of multinational agro companies”.

“We totally reject GMO and we asking the president to listen to the voice of many Kenyans who are imposed to the ban,” stated Osotsi.

This comes amidst calls by Azimio La Umoja One Kenya top organ who called on President Ruto on Tuesday to re-impose the ban on Genetically Modified Crops.

While citing a lack of public participation, Azimio principal Kalonzo Musyoka stated that should President Ruto fail to do so, Azimio will be seek redress in the National Assembly.

“On such a weighty matter especially as concerns food security, there should have been nationwide discourse through public engagement, education and participation. The government did not engage in public participation,” he said.

He appealed to the President to reconsider his stand saying the initiative is not a sustainable solution to reduce food shortage and it will have diverse health effects on Kenyans.

The ban on genetically modified crops imposed in 2012 during President Mwai Kibaki’s regime was due to the threat they posed on the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and the health Kenyans.

The government lifted the ban on Genetically Modified Crops following a Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto.

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Consequently, the Cabinet approved the cultivation and importation of White GMO maize.

“Cabinet considered a broad array of proposals touching on climate change adaptation,” State House indicated.

The ban on GMO imports was enforced in 2012 following a presidential decree.

The decree followed recommendations by the then Minister for Public Health Beth Mugo who cited a study by a French University that linked cancer in rats to the consumption of genetically modified foods.

The findings of the research were also backed by the Kenya Medical Research Institute.

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