| A group of Kenyan farmers, the Kenya Small Scale Farmers Forum, has suffered its second defeat after the High Court declined to issue orders halting plans to lift the ban on genetically modified (GM) foods. The judge, Joseph Onguo, said the group had not established a strong case to warrant the issuance of any orders. “Based on the evidence before me, I am not satisfied that the circumstances are so exceptional to demand court’s intervention given that there are various regulations in place touching on GMO foods,” he said. Kenya Deputy President William Ruto recently announced that the ban on importation of GMO foods would soon be lifted. The judge also said public interest would be better served if the Cabinet had the opportunity to discuss the issue and then make a decision. “For now, based on the safeguards in place through the Biosafety Act 2009 and the regulations thereunder, l am satisfied that threats alluded by the farmers may be addressed through such a framework rather than a court order,” he ruled. more |
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