There has been mixed reaction on the adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms since the government lifted the ban claiming the move will solve for shortage of food in the country. Religion is the main opposing side, stating that it is against the teaching of the bible and laws of the religion. Some have embraced the lift ban while other have opposed it with their own different perspectives
and reasons.
There have been opinions that the return of GMOS will cater for food shortage in the country, while other opinions suggest that it has got bad effect on human consumption. Religious leaders yesterday expressed the concern on the lift ban of GMOS terming the re- introduction of over a decade ago of GMOS, opposing it saying it is against the religious laws in both Christian and Muslim faith.
“In agreement that bio-technology are many, not GMO. We are specifically saying that genetic configuration of one species to another is a religious issue. It has been read in both Christian and Muslim,” Bishop Titus Masika, the Founder Christian Impact Mission.
The clergy lead by bishop Julius Wanyoike said the government did not involve the public in that matter terming the move by the government of violating the constitution of rights of people to choose on what to consume.
“There was public participation that lead to the banning of GMOS in Kenya in 2012. We are highly disappointed that this time round there was no public participation in the lifting of the ban,” Bishop
Julius Wanyoike of the ACK church said.
They have criticized the idea of the government assuring the public that the move is to cater for food shortage in the country. The lifting of the GMOS will not help the people in the country despite them
suffering of hunger.
“The truth is we have food shortage in the country. People are dying, the fact that people are dying,
you can’t pick one thing to fix all the problems. There are many other opinions that have not been
considered. One of them is good agro-ecological systems that need to be observed,” Bishop Titus
Masika said.
The religious leaders say the lift on ban of GMOS is not a good move by the government, stating that
the government should look into other solutions in order to solve food shortage in Kenya. Since the government announced on the lift on the ban on GMOS, different parties have made their opinions with the opponent side stating that the lift on the ban of GMOS has got more health complicated issues than the benefits.
By James Chacha
