Kenyan government split over GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

Date:11-13-2007

Kenya's agricultural secretary, Dr Wilson Songa, has criticised recent opposition to Kenya's envisaged biosafety law, the Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) reports. Environment Minister David Mwiraria has questioned the viability and safety of introducing genetically modified organisms in the country under the current regulatory structures. Dr Songa is reportedly critical of such opposition and views it as slowing down progress. The Kenyan government "strongly supports" the biosafety bill's enactment by March 2008, he reportedly adds. However, Dr Songa concedes that it had not been raised at the Parliament's last session. MPs called for a "speedy enactment" of the biosafety law earlier this year.