By KPC Reporter
The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) has responded to growing protests in Siaya County over the proposed establishment of Kenya’s first nuclear power plant.
NuPEA assured residents that the project will not proceed without public involvement and consent.
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In a press statement issued on Saturday, NuPEA CEO Justus Wabuyabo acknowledged concerns raised by residents in Sakwa, Bondo Sub-county, where demonstrations erupted earlier this week during a public participation forum.
“As the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency, we hear and respect the voices of the residents of Siaya,” Wabuyabo said.
“Public participation is not a mere procedural formality. It is a constitutional right and a technical necessity for a successful national nuclear program.”
The agency said stakeholder engagement was “firmly ongoing” and announced plans to intensify village-level sensitisation campaigns aimed at educating residents about the proposed project, safety measures, livelihoods and land concerns.
“We are moving from high-level institutional planning into deep, village-level grassroots sensitization,” the statement read.
“No infrastructure will be built without the broad, informed consent of the community.”
The statement follows protests by hundreds of residents who stormed a public forum in Sakwa, chanting anti-nuclear slogans and carrying placards reading “We Reject.”
Locals expressed fears over possible radiation risks, environmental damage to Lake Victoria and disruption of fishing and farming livelihoods.
One resident captured 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 project is part of Kenya’s long-term energy strategy and is expected to generate between 1,000 and 3,000 megawatts of electricity once operational.
Construction is projected to begin in 2027, with commissioning targeted for 2034.
However, environmental activists and sections of civil society continue to oppose the project, arguing that the government has not adequately addressed ecological and safety concerns surrounding the proposed plant near Lake Victoria.
