Controversy surrounding the promotion of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) last Friday took a full circle after the Court of Appeal overturned earlier rulings lifting the ban imposed on the technology.
In the latest twist the Kenyan Peasants League secured a conservatory order stopping the government from taking any further action to allow or permit the importation of GMO crops and food into the country pending determination of their appeal. "We are persuaded that, in the circumstances of this case and given what is at stake, the precautionary principle militates in favor of granting conservatory orders during the pendency of the appeal," the ruling read in part The Petitioners argued that the earlier decision to lift the GMO ban was done without due consideration of scientific evidence highlighting potential health and environmental risks.
Although the respondent assured the court that Kenya had a comprehensive legal and institutional framework to regulate the cultivation and importation of GMOs, the bench was ruled otherwise in court battle dating back to 2022 when the cabinet first lifted the ten year ban.
However the landmark ruling has elicited mixed reactions from various quarters with the civil societies and farmer's rights groups commending the decision of the bench while the government and biotech experts on the other side of the divide suffered a major setback In a joint statement, The Kenya Peasants League, Biodiversity and Bio-safety Association of Kenya (BIBA) and 18 other parties enjoined in the petition described the ruling as a historic victory for food sovereignty, farmers' rights, and environmental justice. "We celebrate this ruling as a significant step in protecting the rights of small-scale farmers and consumers while safeguarding Kenya's biodiversity and ecological balance".
