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{
    "id": 1201854,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1201854/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 108,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Maanzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13589,
        "legal_name": "Maanzo Daniel Kitonga",
        "slug": "maanzo-daniel-kitonga"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will go to paragraph 21 of the speech. In that paragraph, the President talked of a mission to dramatically scale up productivity in agriculture to ensure that every Kenyan farmer, fisherman and pastoralist contributes to the sustainable economic growth and production of adequate and affordable food. He also stated that he wants them to generate great income and produce the raw materials required for the agro- industry and manufacturing value chains which would boost Kenya’s export performance and create millions of jobs. I agree that creation of millions of jobs can happen in the agricultural sector. One of the latest developments following this commitment was the lifting of the ban on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the country. The GMOs were banned after a serious consideration by the Cabinet in 2012 under the leadership of the late President Mwai Kibaki. At that time, the current President was the Minister of Agriculture and he supported the Government decision to ban GMOs. I was once a Member of the Committee on Agriculture in the National Assembly and the issue of the GMOs came before us between 2013 and 2017. It is a constant issue. I am aware that most countries in Europe have rejected GMOs. They have given a choice to the consumers. For example, United States of America (USA) has companies that grow GMOS, but they have serious a regulatory framework which makes it possible for someone who goes into a supermarket to make a choice to either eat GMO or go organic food. In fact, there is a law in USA that their President cannot consume GMOs at all and cannot be served with GMOs. The same is also practiced in many countries in Europe, including the Holy City of Rome that hosts the Pope; the leader of the Catholics in the world. I believe the catholic faithful follow and obey their leader who does not only consume GMOs, but also condemns them. I believe the same applies to Muslims who have a word commonly known us ‘haram’ which refers to anything that may tamper with what God has given to be holy. In the event that this ban has been lifted in Kenya and consumption of the GMOs ensues immediately or later, then I want to urge this House to come up with a serious regulatory framework. We need a policy that must be debated by the two Houses. All scientists making contributions on this should contribute during public participation. Even those against GMOs should contribute. In fact, the world, and not just Kenya, is divided into two halves. We have those who support GMOs and those who do not. The latest experiment was carried out by a French scientist in 2012. Upon feeding rats with genetically modified foods, and a little bit of pesticides, which GMOs are sprayed with, all the rats caught growths, commonly known as cancer. That particular experiment has also happened in the United States of America (USA), where a famous company that was called Monsanto, whose name has changed, had been sued several times by people who had consumed GMOs and had medical complications which could be proven scientifically. Most of the suits were settled out of court. Also other farmers will be affected by those growing GMOs. That is why we should have a law to ensure that areas where we have GMOs or organic foods are demarcated."
}