Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 202058,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/202058/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 350,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Wekesa",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Science and Technology",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 137,
        "legal_name": "Alfred B. Wekesa Sambu",
        "slug": "alfred-sambu"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that The Biosafety Bill be now read a Second Time. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I go into the details of the Bill, I want to use this opportunity to thank His Excellency the Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs for fast- tracking this Bill. This Bill is very important to Members of Parliament and all Kenyans, in general. It is, therefore, high time that we get into the nitty-gritty of the Bill and make sure that it is passed to give Kenya a place in the global world. The first objective of the Bill is to facilitate responsible research and minimise the risks of harm that may be caused by Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). The second objective of the Bill is to ensure that there is an adequate level of protection for the self-transfer, handling and use of GMOs that may have an adverse effect on the health of the people and the environment. Finally, the Bill is also meant to establish a transparent and predictable process for reviewing and making decisions on the transfer, handling and use of GMOs. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Members should know that we are living in a technologically advanced world. The field of biotechnology is very wide now. The industry is so big that unless Kenya gets a legal framework, it will be left behind. We will reach a stage where we will have to buy products of technology and pay a lot of money without knowing that we could have saved that money if we had a legal framework in place. This is a very important Bill for Kenya. Kenya is trying to domesticate an international agreement that we signed in 2000 and ratified two years later. This is the Cartagena Protocol which has been ratified by 144 countries including Kenya. Therefore, the new law is aimed at regularising the study process in biotechnology so that Kenya can make informed decisions on whether or not to accept any type of genetically modified products or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the new law aims at creating the necessary human resource in this area of knowledge to enable Kenya filter all information on GMOs or its products. It prevents the possibility of importing and trafficking of any GMOs without strict quarantine or supervision. The new legislation will create mechanisms for destruction of anything harmful to Kenyans and provide penalties for unauthorised importation and/or trafficking of genetically modified products. It provides for the development of human resource to enable this process to take place. This legislation does not seek to introduce any new GMOs, any products or modified organisms as we have been told. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this legislation is for the protection of Kenyans from careless escape or dispensation of GMOs in strict accordance with the Cartagena Protocol. This law will also legalise the entire existing proposed infrastructure, quarantine facilities, inspection equipment, specialist committees, biosafety committees in the interest of the average Kenyans. The new law aims at protecting all our traditional crops and natural biodiversity from adulteration by strange materials and organisms from within and outside the country. This is why it is called a October 2, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 4283 National Biosafety Bill. Therefore, my Ministry would feel greatly honoured if the hon. Members of this august House could pass the proposed legislation. In this Bill we are creating a national authority to make sure that it is responsible of making sure that the provisions of the law are followed. I do not want to go into the nitty-gritty of the Bill. I would like to ask Mr. J.M. Mutinda to second this Bill."
}