The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance camp addressed the press on May 1, 2023, to address what they claimed are economic and political challenges facing the country.
The press conference also dissected President William Ruto’s speech at the Labour Day celebrations held at the Uhuru Gardens in Lang’ata Constituency, Nairobi County.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga touched on the high cost of living which forms one of their key pillars in their ongoing demonstrations against the Kenya Kwanza government, saying the cost is too high and unbearable as he called out President Ruto for failing to address this in his Labor Day speech.
As he wound up his speech to end the conference, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka approached Raila Odinga who was still standing by the podium with the microphones still on.
It was then that Kalonzo alleged the cheap Unga (maize meal flour that cooks Ugali) announced by President William Ruto at the celebrations was all genetically modified.
“You know the food they spoke about for Sh 160, Sh 170. All of it is GMO (genetically modified). All that food, it is all GMO. Can you imagine?” said Kalonzo Musyoka.
He did not offer any evidence to back up the claims.
Raila responded in the affirmative and they walked away from the podium together.
Earlier in the day, President Ruto had announced that cheap unga was available at Quickmart and Naivas supermarkets and the lowest price was Sh 158.
“I have seen you people saying ‘not yet, not yet’. I want to tell you this. The price was Sh 230. If you go to the shelf right now at Quickmart or Naivas, you will find there are packets for Sh 200, for Sh 180, for Sh 170 and for Sh 158. You are the one to decide on which one you will buy,” said President Ruto in part.
Nairobi News conducted a spot check and found that at Naivas Supermarket, the price of a 2 Kg of Ajab Maize meal flour sold for Sh 159 down from Sh 167, Amaize sold for Sh 249, Hostess retailed for Sh 246, Jogoo for Sh 195 down from Sh 208, Mama Maize Meal sold for Sh 198, Ndovu for Sh 199, Pembe for Sh 208, Raha for Sh 262 and Soko for Sh 207.
In light of Kalonzo Musyoka’s allegation, Kenyans are set to know this month how the High Court will rule on a petition challenging the government’s importation and distribution of GMO foods.
The High Court suspended the importation of GMO foods after the Kenya Peasants League filed their petition following President Ruto’s lifting of the GMO ban.
This ban had been instituted by the late former president Mwai Kibaki during his tenure. At that time, scientific research conducted found that GMO foods caused cancer in rats; and rats share the same basic physiology, organs, and body plans with humans, thus, implying that GMO foods can cause cancer in humans as well.
The petitioners against President Ruto’s plan to flood the market with GMO foods said this posed a health risk to consumers and it would cost Kenyan farmers their livelihoods. They also claimed that President Ruto unlawfully and unprocedural lifted the ban without conducting public participation.
