The government instituted a ban on importation of GM food in November 2012, following global debates on its safety. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
The biotechnology and biosafety experts said they are privy to information that the taskforce is recommending that the ban be upheld.
They said the taskforce was basing the ban on a publication by French Scientists led by Gilles-Eric Seralin that has since been invalidated.
Scientists from local public universities have rejected report findings of a taskforce constituted to review safety of GMOs.
The government instituted a ban on importation of GM food in November 2012, following global debates on its safety, given claims that it increases chances of getting cancer.
The Ministry of Health then established a taskforce with the mandate to evaluate the health effects of GM foods and advise a policy decision by government on whether to lift or maintain the ban.
Speaking in Nairobi Friday, the biotechnology and biosafety experts said they are privy to information that the taskforce is recommending that the ban be upheld.
The taskforce chaired by Prof Kihumbu Thairu handed its report to Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia who later forwarded it to Cabinet for review.
“We have serious reservations with the taskforce and reject the report,” said Prof James Ochanda, the Director of Nairobi Africa Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum, Kenya Chapter.
He said the taskforce was basing the ban on a publication by French Scientists led by Gilles-Eric Seralin that has since been invalidated.
Pro Ochanda recommended that government constitutes another taskforce that has representation of the National Biosafety Authority, if it doubts the safety of GM foods.
“Let the new and fairly representative taskforce with NBA as secretariat be appointed to conduct toxicity experiments, rather than read articles,” he said.
However Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said on phone that the GMO proponents are free to air their opinions in the ongoing debate.
Mr Macharia explained that what really matters was not what the taskforce recommends rather the decision reached by Cabinet on the report.
“Let us all be calm and wait Cabinet’s decision on this sensitive matter, which will be made public in a few weeks,” he said.
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