The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) has responded to increasing protests in Siaya County regarding plans for Kenya’s first nuclear power facility.
NuPEA assured locals that the project cannot proceed without public involvement and consent.
In a press statement released on Saturday, NuPEA CEO Justus Wabuyabo acknowledged concerns raised by residents in Sakwa, Bondo Sub-county, where demonstrations occurred earlier during a public participation forum.
“As the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency, we hear and respect the voices of the residents of Siaya,” Wabuyabo stated.
“Public participation is not just a procedural requirement. It is a constitutional right and a technical necessity for a successful national nuclear program.”
The agency indicated that stakeholder engagement was “actively continuing” and announced intentions to enhance village-level awareness campaigns aimed at informing residents about the proposed project, safety protocols, livelihood impacts, and land concerns.
“We are transitioning from high-level institutional planning to deep, village-level grassroots education,” the statement noted.
“No infrastructure will be constructed without the broad, informed consent of the community.”
The statement follows protests by hundreds of residents who disrupted a public forum in Sakwa, chanting anti-nuclear slogans and displaying placards reading “We Reject.”
Community members voiced apprehensions about potential radiation hazards, environmental damage to Lake Victoria, and disruption of fishing and agricultural activities.
One resident featured in videos circulating online declared: “We have rejected the plan to have a nuclear plant in Siaya. We don’t want it.”
The proposed Sh500 billion nuclear initiative forms part of Kenya’s long-term energy strategy and is projected to produce between 1,000 and 3,000 megawatts of electricity once operational.
Construction is scheduled to commence in 2027, with commissioning expected by 2034.
However, environmental activists and portions of civil society maintain opposition to the project, asserting that authorities have not sufficiently addressed ecological and safety concerns associated with the proposed plant near Lake Victoria.