Agriculture Principal Secretary Kiprono Rono and Pest Control Products Board Chief Executive Fredrick Muchiri faced the wrath of MPs for failing to implement a House directive to withdraw harmful pesticides.

The MPs, who are members of the committee on implementation chaired by Budalang’i lawmaker Raphael Wanjala, accused Ministry of Agriculture officials of advancing the interests of agrochemical industry at the expense of Kenyans.

They accused the board of protecting businesses dealing with harmful products, at the expense of Kenyans.

The committee declined to listen to the submissions prepared by the duo and demanded that the State Department and the board withdraw registration of all the 267 cited products forthwith.

They blamed the rising cancer cases on the pesticides.

Cancer cases

Their fury follows the passage of a resolution by the House after a petition by Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss in 2019 to have harmful pesticides withdrawn.

Said Shollei: “Hon. Chairperson, this matter dates back to 2019. I do not understand why these products are still on the shelves of agrovet shops, even as they continue to put the lives of Kenyans at risk.”

Shollei questioned why the products were still being sold yet they had been banned in their countries of origin.

Citing a recent case where some American farmers were awarded compensation to the tune of $250 million (about Sh32 billion) each after exposure to these products that resulted in them contracting cancer, she called for the disbandment of the board, whom she noted could be sued for similar cases.

Wanjala, who supported the calls by the members, said that the committee was in the business of ensuring House resolutions are implemented effectively.

Wanjala said: “We are all affected by this matter, including yourselves. When we buy tomatoes in the market for instance, we have no idea how they were grown. We cannot continue to allow Kenyans to die because of inaction.”

Shollei added: “Hon. Members, the products we are talking about have been banned in their countries of origin. They have been banned in North America and in Europe, why are they being sold in the local marketd.

Protecting dealers

 Kajiado Central MP Memusi Kanchory and his Kipkelion West counterpart  Hillary Kosgei demanded that the two officials publicly announce that they had deregistered all the cited products.

 They took issue with the board CEO after he told the committee that some of the information which had informed the House resolution were deemed inaccurate after being subjected to further scientific research.

 Said Kosgei: “We are not interested in further research on the matter. Since 2015, cancer cases have been rising at a great rate. Have you conducted any spot checks on agrochemical shops to ascertain the safety of the products on sale?”

 Memusi accused the board for protecting agrochemical dealers and called on the State Department to make a decision on the matter soon.

 He said: “We are not asking you to make a populist decision. We are asking you to make the right decision. Cancer cases are on the rise both in urban areas and in the rural areas. These cases can only be attributed to the kind of foods we’re eating.”

 On their part MPs Zamzam Mohammed (Mombasa woman representative), Stanley Muthama (Lamu West) and Kitilai ole Ntutu (Narok South) pressed for immediate action, noting that any further usage of the products was further exposing Kenyans into further danger.

 But immediately they were done, Rono observed that indeed the matter had taken inordinately long to be sorted out and pleaded for more time to make the right decision.

 He said: “Hon. Chair, we share in your concern and indeed the matter has taken long to be settled. We plead that you allow us a few days to issue a press statement on this matter.”