By Andrew Irumba
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has declined signing the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) bill into law.
SpyUganda has learnt that Museveni has written to Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga advising that the new law should protect our farmers and protect our agricultural interests, promote research by our scientists and protect local farmers, instead of embracing interests of foreigners.
The GMO bill now defers to the house for debate and consideration of President Museveni’s concerns and recommendations.
Parliament passed the Genetic Engineering Regulatory Bill, 2018, formerly known as the National Biotechnology and Bio-safety Bill in November 2018.
The bill sought to provide a regulatory framework for safe development and application of biotechnology and release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Parliament had earlier passed the same bill on October 4, 2017 but President Museveni had declined to assent to it and sent it back to parliament for review.
The president specifically sought clarity on the title, patent rights of indigenous farmers and sanctions for scientists who mix GMOs with indigenous crops and animals.
Museveni added that to be on the safe side, GMOs seeds should never be randomly mixed with indigenous seeds just in case they turn out to have a problem.
He also demanded that parliament clarifies on other aspects of genetic engineering such as setting the boundary of the technology to crops and animals with no crossover to human beings, labelling of GMOs, and the proposal to have genetically modified materials in the irrigated areas of Mobuku.
