Kenya to gazette GMOs transportation rules by November

NAIROBI, Kenya:  (Xinhua) — Kenya will put in place rules that will govern transportation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) by November, the Bio-safety watchdog said on Monday.

National Bio-Safety Authority (NBA) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Willy Tonui told Xinhua in Nairobi that currently the country is using the World Health Organization (WHO) rules in order to transport biotech products.

“We will develop draft regulations in the next few weeks which will be discussed by major stakeholders and we hope to gazette rules to regulate transportation of GMOs by the end of November this year,” Tonui said on the sidelines of the first National Bio- Safety conference which aims to strengthen Kenya bio-safety management.

The conference brought over 100 delegates including engineers, crops and animal researchers and academicians. “The laws will borrow heavily from global standards in order to ensure that the risk of bio-contamination is eliminated,” the CEO said.

Tonui added that the rules will contain procedures on packaging and shipment of biotech products. He added that the authority will soon put in place bio-safety experts at Kenya’s border posts.

“Within the next few months will put experts who will work jointly with customs officials in order to ensure that all GMOs material entering the country meet requirements,” he said.

According to NBA, neighboring states are yet to operationalize laws regulating GMOs. Tonui added that NBA has only granted approval for importation of GMOs which were meant for humanitarian food assistance during last years’ drought.

“The law only permitted milled grains and not whole grains as the NBA is yet to give regulatory approval for the commercialization of the GMOs,” he said.

Kenya’s laws states that all materials which contains GMOs material above one percent should be labeled. He said that the first product to be commercialized will be Biotech cotton in 2013.

“So far the government has developed regulations to govern GMOs contained use, environmental release and labeling,” said the NBA official.

According to Tonui, before GMOs are approved, a risk assessment is done internally and with collaboration with other regulatory bodies and takes between 90 days to 150 days. (Xinhua)