Rumours have swirled in Siaya that Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo is opposed to the siting of Kenya’s first nuclear power plant in the county.
But the facts tell a different story: Orengo has emerged as one of the project’s loudest champions.
Public Support on Record
Speaking in Siaya when he hosted the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) leadership—CEO Justus Wabuyabo and board chair Eng. Prof. Lawrence Gumbe—Orengo was unequivocal:
“We are committed to making this project a success. The county government will provide office space for NuPEA in the shortest time possible.” — Governor Orengo
He described the Sh500 billion plant as a “transformative project” that would anchor Kenya’s industrialisation.
Promise and Peril
Nuclear power is often hailed as a game-changer: it produces vast amounts of electricity, runs reliably day and night, and has low carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels. For Kenya—whose industrial ambitions are throttled by chronic power shortages—the technology promises stability, affordability, and scale.
“No serious industrial or transformative economy exists in the world without nuclear power,” Orengo declared, insisting nuclear is a “calculated risk worth taking.”
Yet, the risks are real.
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster remains the darkest reminder—an explosion and fire at Reactor 4 released massive radioactive fallout, forcing the evacuation of more than 100,000 people and leaving a poisoned landscape that is still off-limits nearly four decades later. More recently, the 2011 Fukushima meltdown in Japan showed how natural disasters can trigger nuclear crises.
Critics argue Kenya, with weak regulatory capacity, may be ill-prepared for worst-case scenarios. Nuclear waste management and water safety in Lake Victoria are also unresolved questions.
Safety and Compensation
Orengo insists the technology has matured since Chernobyl:
“I have no fears at all. Nuclear energy is safe and will transform Siaya and Kenya.” — Orengo
He cited France, where 70% of electricity is nuclear, and Hungary’s decades-old plants that operate without incident. He also assured locals that those displaced will be fairly compensated under law and international standards.
Why Nuclear, Why Siaya?
NuPEA chair Prof. Gumbe linked the project to Kenya’s Vision 2030 targets, stressing that industrialisation is impossible without stable, affordable baseload power.
“China’s rapid growth has been powered by massive electricity consumption. Kenya must increase its usage at least 20 times to meet its targets.” — Prof. Gumbe
NuPEA also revealed plans to:
Station a dedicated officer in Siaya to coordinate activities.
Partner with JOOUST to launch nuclear engineering programmes.
Create up to 10,000 jobs during construction.
Stakeholder meetings, including one at JOOUST attended by ODM leader Raila Odinga and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, positioned Siaya as the frontrunner site after plans in Kilifi faltered.
Orengo went further, inviting NuPEA to showcase the project at the Siaya International Trade & Investment Conference in October, framing nuclear as a gateway to advanced technology and medicine.
Bottom Line
The claim that Orengo is opposed to a nuclear plant in Siaya is false.
On the record, he has thrown his political weight behind the project—calling it a “calculated risk worth taking.”
The truth lies in the balance: nuclear energy could catapult Kenya into a new industrial era, but history warns that mismanagement, weak safeguards, or natural disaster could spell catastrophe. For Siaya, the nuclear future is both a bold opportunity and a profound gamble.
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