Highly Hazardous Pesticides used in Kenya. Photo/Courtesy
By Daisy Okiring
Two petitioners have moved to the Environment and Land Court seeking to stop the use and distribution of dozens of pesticides in Kenya, citing risks to human health, bees, and agricultural exports.
The African Centre for Corrective and Preventive Action (ACCPA) and activist Kelvin Mugambi Kubai filed the case, warning that highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) such as glyphosate, paraquat, imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos, and thiamethoxam are linked to cancer, neurological disorders, reproductive health problems, and obesity.
International agencies, including the International Agency for Research on Cancer, have classified some of these chemicals as probable carcinogens. The European Union has also restricted outdoor use of neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid and thiamethoxam to protect pollinators. The petitioners argue that these products are defective and dangerous, undermining constitutional rights to life, a clean environment, and safe consumer goods.
Corporations and state agencies named
The petition names multinational corporations Monsanto Kenya, Syngenta East Africa, Bayer East Africa, BASF East Africa, and Twiga Chemicals Industries as respondents. It also lists the Agrochemicals Association of Kenya, the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the Agriculture and Food Authority, the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Council of Governors, and the Attorney General.
According to the petitioners, the circulation of these pesticides has been enabled by regulatory gaps and weak enforcement of safety standards. They argue that authorities have failed to enforce measures such as buffer zones on large farms, exposing workers, consumers, and communities to toxic residues.
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Food safety and export concerns
Kenyan horticultural produce has in some cases been rejected in international markets after exceeding maximum pesticide residue limits. The petitioners warn that the continued use of banned or restricted pesticides puts the country’s export market at risk, threatening farmer livelihoods and national revenues.
They are seeking an immediate suspension of the pesticides in question, declarations that constitutional rights have been violated, and compensation for people allegedly harmed through exposure. The petition further calls for the government to adopt new food safety regulations and support agroecological farming methods as a safer and sustainable alternative.
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Court action and next steps
High Court Judge Grace Kemei has allowed the case to proceed and directed that notices be published in national newspapers to invite victims, survivors, and affected communities to join. The case will be mentioned on October 23, giving room for farmers, workers, and consumers to participate in the proceedings.
The petition represents a major test case for Kenya’s pesticide regulation framework. If successful, it could force reforms in the agricultural sector, shift government policies on food safety, and reshape how international markets view Kenyan exports. The outcome is expected to spark debate on balancing industrial farming needs with public health and environmental protection.
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