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{
    "id": 243122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/243122/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 206,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Oniang'o",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 363,
        "legal_name": "Ruth Khasaya Oniang'o",
        "slug": "ruth-oniango"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, even the European Union (EU) has now approved GM foods. All they are insisting on is proper labelling of these foods. So, it saddens me when I see our people die of hunger, and yet we still hang on some archaic science. Remember that I am also a teacher. I am telling my students that they should keep up with biotechnology because they are the ones to advise our Government on the usage of biotechnology. We should not rely on a few individuals in Europe who want organically grown crops which are grown by our own people here. Those crops are very difficult to grow and we cannot afford to see our people sweat to grow them. Recently, I was in a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria which was about \"Tired African Soils\". It was agreed that our soils need fertilisers both chemical and organic. There are few individuals who tell us not to use chemical fertilisers at all. They urge us to concentrate on organic production and keep away from chemicals. Africa is not going to realise a green revolution if we do not keep abreast with modern technology. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, just to inform the Mover of this Motion, last month I attended a meeting here in Nairobi. Scientists affiliated to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) approved Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). So, even if we ban GM foods here in this House, through COMESA and NEPAD, we shall be forced to approve them because of inter-country trade. These are approvals by our own top scientists; in fact, they are our top brains. We depend on the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) which strives to keep abreast with the latest technology. I am aware that here in Parliament we discuss everything and it will be a shame for us to be misinformed and make decisions on scanty information being propagated by the Mover of this Motion. I admire him for his courage to bring it here, but I want to tell him that I do not want to be part of that bandwagon that uses emotions to pass bad Motions 2004 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 12, 2006 here. I will not want to be associated with it because it will show how ignorant we are, and yet we are not. We do not want to misinform Kenyans because they look up to us to do proper legislation. We must fail this Motion. If he refuses to amend it, then we must make sure that it is defeated. I also want to appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture to bring biosafety legislation in this House so that we can debate it. We are losing a lot of money to other countries because of lack of biosafety legislation. We need to do proper testing of organisms and enhance research so that our young scientists can actually keep abreast with modern technology. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to oppose this Motion."
}