ADVERT 
Residents of Sakwa in Bondo Sub-county, Siaya County, staged fiery anti-nuclear protests on Thursday, escalating opposition to the government’s controversial plan to establish Kenya’s first nuclear power plant near the shores of Lake Victoria.
The demonstrations exposed deepening fears over environmental degradation, public health risks, and what locals described as inadequate public participation in one of Kenya’s most ambitious energy projects.
Carrying placards and chanting anti-nuclear slogans, angry residents marched through Sakwa demanding an immediate halt to the proposed multibillion-shilling project spearheaded by the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA).
The government plans to construct a nuclear power station capable of generating between 1,000 and 3,000 megawatts of electricity at an estimated cost exceeding Sh500 billion. Construction is projected to begin in 2027, with commissioning targeted for 2034.
However, residents say the promise of energy expansion cannot outweigh the potential dangers posed to communities that rely heavily on Lake Victoria for fishing, farming, and domestic use.
“We cannot gamble with our lives and the future of Lake Victoria,” some protesters shouted during the demonstrations, as fears mounted over possible radiation exposure, contamination of water sources, and the long-term handling of radioactive waste.
Community members accused government officials of sidelining locals during the site selection process, arguing that authorities failed to provide sufficient information about the environmental and health implications associated with nuclear energy production.
The Sakwa protests now threaten to reignite a national debate over Kenya’s nuclear ambitions, a conversation that previously triggered resistance in Kilifi County before the government shifted focus to Siaya.
Environmental activists and sections of civil society have continued to question why Kenya is pursuing nuclear energy despite already being recognised globally for its investment in renewable power sources such as geothermal, hydroelectricity, wind, and solar energy.
Critics argue that the country should deepen investments in cleaner and less risky renewable alternatives instead of committing taxpayers to an expensive and highly sensitive nuclear project.
Still, supporters of the initiative insist nuclear power could become a game changer for Kenya’s industrial growth and long-term energy stability under the country’s Vision 2030 development blueprint.
Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has previously defended the proposal, maintaining that nuclear energy can provide stable and sustainable electricity if implemented under strict international safety standards.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has also repeatedly assured Kenyans that the government is working closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure compliance with global safety and regulatory standards.
Government officials say Siaya was identified as a potential host region partly because of its proximity to Lake Victoria, whose vast waters would be critical for cooling reactor systems.
But opponents insist the lake — East Africa’s largest freshwater body — is too important ecologically and economically to expose to any potential nuclear-related risks.
Political analysts now warn that the Sakwa demonstrations could pile fresh pressure on the government to intensify public engagement, transparency, and environmental assessments before advancing the project further.
By Thursday evening, authorities had not released an official statement directly responding to the protests in Sakwa.
Photo: Courtesy of the Star
