Parliament's agriculture team in bid to have GMO ban lifted

Kenya: A parliamentary committee has vowed to rally the august House to overturn the ban on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) enforced two years ago by the Cabinet.

While discussing the report of the GMO Task Force set up by the Health Ministry, which suggests that the ban should remain in place, members of the Agriculture committee Tuesday insisted that the ban be lifted to boost food security.

However, Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, who appeared before the committee yesterday, said the Cabinet would make a decision on the matter once they receive his memo together with the findings of the report.

However, committee chairperson Adan Mohammed said whatever decision the Cabinet takes on the matter, they would have the ban overturned. "The committee is not convinced with the task force's report. Parliament has the mandate and power to overturn the ban," he said.

Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo said despite the ban there are still many consumer products in the market that have GMO ingredients.