Winnie Odinga: EAC needs policies to govern GMO importation

According to Winnie, the East African Community (EAC) will have a voice if the member states come up with a policy from a well-researched study that will guide the way forward on how to deal with GMO foods.

The GMO debate has elicited various reactions in the country with politicians giving divergent views on the same.

Last week, business magnate Bill Gates while on tour in Kenya, stated that he supports the adaption of GMOs, following a heated debate after the government announced plans to import GMO maize to curb the ongoing food crisis and looming starvation.

"GMO is more productive and is disease resistant and "99.9 per cent of crops in the West are GMO. Every piece of bread I have ever eaten is from GMO-modified wheat. Every piece of corn I have also eaten is GMO corn, products that are proven," Gates who was engaging the media at the University of Nairobi said.

Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria on Thursday announced the government had finally decided to allow the duty-free importation of 10 million bags of GMO maize over the next 6 months.

Earlier on, President William Ruto had explained that the government had considered expert opinion from scientists over the suitability and safety of GMOs before lifting the ban as part of the medium and long-term response to food insecurity.