East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP-elect Winnie Odinga has become the latest politician to join the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) debate.
Speaking on Spice FM on Monday, November 21, Winnie, daughter of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, cited health concerns as her main reservation about GMOs.
“I have heard people say how GMO is good for them. I have lived in America, have you seen the size of Americans?’ Winnie posed.
Winnie noted that the nation and region was not ready for GMO and should it be introduced it should only be an intervention measure.
“And even if it is being used as an intervention measure because people are starving to death, we should have a plan not to need this intervention,” she clarified.
She also seemed to pour cold water on President William Ruto’s plan to build 100 dams for irrigation with an aim of attaining food security.
“We cannot keep talking about irrigation, we have moved away from that and should be discussing other smart ways of farming,” she suggested.
Winnie advised that the East African Community should apply artificial intelligence in farming.
She suggested buying robots for farming and setting up a robotics industry in Kampala so as to revolutionize agriculture.
Winnie’s sentiments came a day after Catholic Archbishop of Nyeri Antony Muheria called for a discussion and engagement concerning GMO.
“The issue of GMO should be a national conversation and engagement that should bring together government, agricultural experts, food experts and other stakeholders,” Muheria noted in a statement.
The Catholic bishop also faulted Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria for suggesting that GMO is just one of the many threats that can kill Kenyans.
“Kenyans deserve respect and apology from Moses Kuria, death is not someone to joke about,” he remarked.
