William Ruto
President William Ruto has defended his move to lift the ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
Speaking on Wednesday January 4 at State House during a roundtable interview with local and international media houses, the President argued that all the foods that the country has all along been importing has GMO components.
He however said that the imported foods have one per cent of GMO components wich is required by the Kenya bureau of standards (KEBS).
“Ukiambiwa iko less than one percent hiyo ni kusema nini, si ni kusema tu ni GMO…hiyo less than one percent tunalipa 30 to 40 percent more so kuliko kusumbuana na percent ndiyo ulipe gharama nyingi si hiyo ni kukosa mpango?” Ruto posed.
“I cannot put at risk the lives of the people who elected me…I am a scientist, all the scientists in the country are in agreement that GMO has no effects,” he added.
The president stated that those who oppose the importation of GMO are attempting to derail his efforts to address the nation’s food insecurity.
Ruto cited South Africa, and the USA were 100 per cent using GMO products has been approved.
“This is a propaganda peddled by individuals who do not want to see us solve this problem,”
“Mimi mwenyewe nimekula chakula ya GMO, lazima tuambiane ukweli…umesikia mtu amemea mapembe, amemea miguu ama ndevu kule South Africa kwa sababu ya kukula GMO?” Ruto posed.
The government lifted the 10-year ban on the cultivation and importation of genetically modified crops in October 2022.
The decision was influenced by the guidelines of the National Biosafety Authority and the recommendations of a task force on genetically modified foods and food safety.
Also Read: “Men Will Grow Breasts, Women Beards” Wajackoyah Warns Gov’t Against GMOs
