Moses Kuria and Mithika Linturi contradict each other in GMO debate
Cabinet Secretary for Trade Moses Kuria has been in the limelight in recent days thanks to the The endless debate on GMO maize.
At the center of this debate is Mr Kuria’s initial announcement of the government’s plan to import GMO.
Although a court order has barred the government from importing GMO maize, there have been ‘conflicting’ directives from Mr Kuria and the Csbinet Secretary for Agriculture Mithika Linturi.
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While Mr Kuria has been urging farmers not to withhold maize saying doing so will compel the government to import GMO maize, Mr Linturi has since told farmers not to listen to Mr Kuria, arguing that he is the one in charge of agriculture.
Linturi’s clarification on the issue came after Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the matter of maize importation should be left to the Agriculture Ministry.
“This issue of importation of maize should be guided by a survey from the Ministry of Agriculture which will find out if there is a deficit of grain. That is a policy that must be well elected. It is the Agriculture docket that will issue an importation order after looking at the food situation,” Mr Mudavadi said.
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Mr Linturi also distanced himself from the importation of the GMO maize saying he is not aware of any plans to ship into the country genetically modified corn.
“I am the custodian of the ministry and I’m not ready to answer to what is being reported in social media,” he curtly responded during a press briefing in his office.
On the other hand, Mr Kuria said that the government would import GMO maize to cushion Kenyans from hunger.
However, Linturi has maintained that in case of food shortage, his ministry would be guided by stakeholders to make the right decision.
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