Church Goes After Moses Kuria Over GMO Remarks

Archbishop Anthony Muheria has joined a number of Kenyans in criticising Trade, Industry and Investments Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria's controversial confession that Genetically Modified Organisms, better known as GMOs, have the ability to kill Kenyans. 

Addressing the media on Monday, November 21, the Nyeri Diocese Archbishop termed CS Kuria's remarks as distasteful and lacking respect, further accusing him of joking about life and death.

He demanded an apology from the former Gatundu South MP, saying that Kenyans deserve to be respected and not insulted.

Archbishop Anthony Muheria during a past media briefing. /KENYA NEWS AGENCY

"We would wish to address the comments made by Moses Kuria regarding GMOs. It was disgraceful and disrespectful to Kenyans to joke about life and death and even if it is an issue that could be taken as a joke it would be wrong to bring about statements whereby we trivialize death, suffering, and insecurity.

"Irrespective of the matter in consideration, we feel that Kenyans deserve respect and not spite, and in this matter, they deserve an apology," he said.

He termed the matter of GMOs as one that requires a deep conversation, given that CS Kuria also announced that he allowed a duty-free importation of GMOs to cushion Kenyans from the ravaging effects of drought leading to food scarcity and consequently hunger.

"It's not good to joke about death or gamble with the life of Kenyans. When we speak about GMOs, it's a matter that deserves a deep conversation," Muheria stated. 

Already, a number of prominent Kenyans called out the CS over the remarks made on Thursday, November 17 during the 10th annual Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) conference at Strathmore University in Nairobi.

“I Didmus Wekesa Barasa Mutua, the son of a widow, do not support the importation of GMO-related foodstuffs. Will only do, at a time when we would have equipped our hospitals with proper disease diagnostics,” Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa opposed.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei stated that he would pardon the CS not to allow the importation of GMO maize now that the country's farmers are on the verge of harvesting.

Former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga reprimanded CS Kuria's comments on Sunday, November 20, urging him to apologise to the people of Kenya.

"We note with alarm the callousness with which the UDA regime in the person of CS Moses Kuria announced the pending importation of GMO maize.  With utter contempt for the Kenyan people, Kuria publicly said that since there are a thousand ways for Kenyans to die, the safety of GMO foods should not worry us because we are dying anyway.  

"As a party, we believe the matter of GMO foods in our country is too serious to be reduced to a cruel and juvenile joke. We call upon Mr Kuria and the UDA regime to apologize to the Kenyan people. Officials who lack scientific literacy on such serious matters must never use their office to demean the Kenyan people as though we are a helpless, enslaved lot," Odinga fired.

The Azimio la Umoja leader was notably against GMOs, but questions were raised after social media users revisited Raila's address to Parliament on August 3, 2011, in his capacity as Prime Minister, where he defended the GMO maize by saying even Parliament had passed the Bio Safety bill.