House team probes importation of GMO maize

By Ernest Ndunda

A parliamentary committee is investigating two transport companies in connection with the ‘smuggling’ of three million bags of genetically modified (GMO) maize into the country.

The Committee on Agriculture said in Mombasa that it had tracked down the maize from the port of Durban in South Africa and realised that it had been smuggled through the port of Mombasa.

"We have tangible evidence the maize was not good for consumption," said committee chairman John Mututho.

Committee members and food experts from the University of Nairobi were on a fact-finding mission at the port over the weekend.

Bura MP Dr Nuhu Abdi, David Koech (Mosop) and Muhammud Sirat (Wajir South) accompanied Mututho.

The Naivasha MP claimed that for the past three months, Kenyans have been fed on GMOs, unknowingly.

"Those found to have imported GMO maize into the country stand to be fined Sh20 million and jailed for 10 years or both," warned Mututho.

He said that the two major transporters risked having their operating licences cancelled and their directors prosecuted.

Adequate evidence

"We have adequate evidence on how the GMO maize moved from South Africa into the Kenyan market. If there is any minister involved in the maize scam he or she would not be spared," Mututho added.

The committee and the University of Nairobi experts took samples of imported white maize from Malawi, suspected to be GMO.

"As a committee mandated to ensure Kenyans are fed on the right food, we shall not relent on this issue," assured Mututho.

He said the committee would dispatch experts to Uganda on Monday to follow up on a report where condemned maize in Uganda has reportedly found its way into the country.

"We are not going to allow Kenya to be a dumping site for condemned food," warned Mututho.

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GMO Maize probe