Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has said President William Ruto lied about GMO foods in a roundtable interview with media houses on Wednesday.
President Ruto defended his move to import the GMO foods.
He said all foods that the country has all along been importing have GMO components, which he stated is within the one per cent required by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.
"Ukiambiwa iko less than one per cent hiyo ni kusema nini, si ni kusema tu ni GMO...hiyo less than one per cent tunalipa 30 to 40 per cent more so kuliko kusumbuana na per cent ndiyo ulipe gharama nyingi si hiyo ni kukosa mpango?" Olekina said.
This loosely translates to," What does less than one per cent mean? Isn't it GMO? In that one per cent we are paying 30 to 40 per cent more, Isn't that poor planning?"
The senator said GMO foods are dangerous and not fit for human consumption urging Kenyans to stay away from them.
He termed the move as pressure from the West.
"President William Ruto is lying to you Kenyans, GMO is dangerous please stay away and say no to GMO. This pressure from the west is not good for our economy," Olekina said.
He added if Kenyans allow the GMO in the country, the country will loose market.
"The minute we allow GMO into the country, Europe- our biggest fresh produce market will close its doors," the legislator tweeted.
Ruto said he is a scientist and cannot put Kenyans lives at risk.
"I cannot put at risk the lives of the people who elected me. I am a scientist, all scientists in the country are in agreement that GMO has no effects," he said.
The president said those opposed to the importation of the product are individuals who are out to distract him from his cause to address food insecurity in the country.
"This is a propaganda peddled by individuals who do not want to see us solve this problem," he added.
