The Kenya National Assembly Committee of Agriculture reinforced the ban that has been in force since 2012 on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in December 2016. The Committee explained that the ban should not be lifted until the country develops necessary laws to ensure safety of consumers. Also, the reports emhasises that the ban should not be lifted because GMO products must pass a preliminary independent verification procedure hich covers acute and sub acute phase of testing before human consumption is allowed.
“There is no evidence of adequate tests to determine the safety of genetically modified products which are still finding their way in to the Country due to weak border control mechanisms” said the committee chaired by Mandera North MP Mohammed Noor, in its report.
In its report, the committee noted that no GMO products has been tested for safety by the National Biosafety Authority (NBA). the report further asserts that, the current biosafety Act passed by the parliament in 2009 has no specific provision for testing for safety.
This decision by the Kenyan Parliamentarians was highly supported by the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition (KBioC). The KBioC spokesperson, Ms. Wanjiru Kamau noted that, the resources being used to promote GMOs should be allocated to support Ecological Organic Agriculture to nurture a healthy generation, production and consumption of safe food and a healthy environment for all generations including posterity.
