Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua has opposed the recent ruling by the High Court on genetically modified (GMO) foods in Kenya.
In a statement shared on her X account on Thursday, November 7, 2024, Karua expressed her dissatisfaction with the court’s decision after it dismissed petitions challenging the lifting of the ban on GMO foods in the country.
Terming it as a terrible decision, she emphasized that the ruling would disregard citizens’ absolute right to make decisions on food safety and to retain indigenous farming methods.
Furthermore, Karua stated that she hopes the ruling will be revisited on appeal.
“Terrible decision that completely ignores citizens’ inalienable right to make decisions on food safety and to retain indigenous farming methods. I hope it will be revisited on appeal,” she said.
Karua on GMO foods
The Narc Kenya party leader reiterated that the use of GMO seeds in food production can pollute the soil around them causing harm to neighbouring farmers.
“GMOs have the ability to pollute the soil around them thus rendering neighbouring farmers incapable of using seeds other than from the multinationals which amount to slavery,” she said.
Karua went on to say that most countries in Europe, Asia and some parts of Africa have banned the use of GMOs.
“Around the world, the following countries have banned GMOs: France, Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark, Malta, Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia. In Africa, Algeria and Madagascar have banned GMOs, and in Asia, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, and Saudi Arabia. Finally, in the Americas, Belize, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela have all banned GMOs. The United States has no official legislation banning GMOs,” she added.
GMO ban
On Thursday, November 7, the High Court dismissed petitions challenging the lifting of the ban on GMO foods stating that the issue had already been addressed by the Environment and Land Court the previous year.
In the ruling Justice Lawrence Mugambi said that the Environment and Land Court in 2023 determined that the government had implemented adequate safety measures to address the concerns raised by the petitioners.
“In view of the above, the court hereby finds that the current petition is res judicata and hereby strikes it out with no orders as to costs,” Justice Mugambi ruled.
Terrible decision that completely ignores citizens inalienable right to make decisions on food safety and to retain indigenous farming methods hope it will be revisited on appeal https://t.co/d9xa9PBQeQ
— Martha Karua SC (@MarthaKarua) November 7, 2024
