This archive report was first published on 26 June 2020.
Published on June 26, 2020, Bayer, a multinational pharmaceutical and chemical company, has reached a settlement to pay up to $10 billion to resolve over 95,000 lawsuits related to its Roundup weed killers. The lawsuits claim that the company's products have caused harm to thousands of people, mostly in the US.
The settlement comes as the US cases against Bayer unfold, with focus now shifting to the inert substances found in these products. Some of these substances have been criticized for potentially containing cancer-causing agents. In Kenya, however, the authorities have insisted that glyphosate, a key ingredient in Roundup, is safe and has undergone quality checks to ensure consumer safety.
Route To Food, an organization that advocates for sustainable agriculture, has expressed concerns about the increasing use of pesticides in Kenya. The organization notes that the use of pesticides has grown by 144% in the country between 2015 and 2018, with no available data on the concentrations of pesticides in water, soil, and food.
Bayer East Africa's corporate communications manager, Antony Maina, has defended the company's products, stating that the jury in the US cases could be swayed by emotions rather than reason. He added that the product has been in use for over 30 years.
Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei has also called for the withdrawal of 262 pesticides and herbicides from the market, citing concerns about their harm to consumers.
