Pentecostal churches hit at state over GMOs as Isiolo woman MP demands CS Kuria's apology

Pentecostal churches in Nyeri have opposed imports of genetically modified (GMO) maize.

Kenya National Congress of Pentecostal Churches county director Archbishop Erastus Njoroge disagreed with the government’s justification for the imports.

“I am concerned about the government move because no sensible reason is being given for the importation,” said Archbishop Njoroge at the Nation.Africa offices at the KDS Centre in Nyeri on Tuesday. 

“Kenyans do not understand the reasons for importing those seeds and its very alarming that we are being used as an experiment.”

The government, he said, should instead boost agriculture through irrigation and provide affordable farm inputs.

“We produce maize as a country. We can only help Kenyans increase production and ensure availability of water,” he added.

“What our people need is water and then we shall have enough food even for export. I don’t see any purpose for GMO [maize] and I call upon the government to listen to Kenyans.”

Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria’s remarks on GMOs also disappointed the Nyeri County Pentecostal churches coordinator, the Rev Douglas Karanja, saying the minister had not consulted “scientists and professionals in the country”.

“GMOs have been rejected by many countries that have advanced more in education and technology and it’s preferable that we allow scientists to do extensive research on the matter and advice the government before some Cabinet secretaries start making abrupt conclusions,” Rev Karanja said.

Meanwhile, in Isiolo, Woman Rep Mumina Bonaya hit out at Mr Kuria over his statement about imports of GMO maize and demanded that he apologise to Kenyans.

Ms Bonaya said that CS Kuria’s remarks that Kenyans were staring at death due to several risks and that there was nothing wrong with adding GMOs to the list were disrespectful to millions of Kenyans facing hunger.

More than five million Kenyans are in dire need of food aid due to the effects of drought, the worst in 40 years.

“It is so irresponsible of a Cabinet secretary to make such utterances. He must apologise to Kenyans for disrespecting them,” she said when she launched food distribution to special groups in Burat.

The lawmaker rejected the government’s decision to import GMO maize without first asking Kenyans to offer their views.

“The issue should have been discussed in Parliament and Kenyans asked to share their feelings, but it has been rushed,” Ms Bonaya said.

Announcing that the government would allow six-month duty free imports of GMO maize to tackle hunger, Mr Kuria rubbished safety concerns among Kenyans, saying every Kenyan was a candidate for death.

President William Ruto, early last month, lifted a 10-year ban on GMO products.
Deputy Governor James Lowasa and MCAs David Nyoro (Bulapesa) and Burat’s Nicholas Lorot wondered why the government could not buy food from local farmers who had bumper harvests in the North Rift and parts of Central Kenya, as well as from neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania.

“The government should first buy from local farmers before importing. We can buy maize from Uganda and Tanzania and do not need GMOs,” Dr Lowasa said, adding that the government should have collected the views of Kenyans before resolving to import GMO foods.

There have been claims that large-scale farmers were hoarding maize and refusing to sell it to local millers, contributing to the high price of maize flour.

Dr Ruto has maintained that his administration will not subsidise consumption but production through fertiliser and other farm inputs as part of efforts to tackle food insecurity.

Mr Waithaka asked the government to build large dams and sink boreholes in arid and semi-arid counties (ASALs) to enable farmers to produce more food.

“Ensuring there is enough water for irrigation in ASALs will [help beat] the effects of climate change," he said.

Some leaders from the North Rift have lamented that importing cheap GMO maize would expose local farmers who have produce in their stocks to losses as it will fetch lower prices.

While distributing food to Victors Children’s Home in Burat ward, Ms Bonaya said the elderly, sick, orphans and people with disabilities were hit hard by drought and need to be cushioned against its economic effects.

“The food is meant to cushion the most vulnerable persons in the society,” she said in Game village, where 120 families were selected to benefit.