MPs Demand More Dialogue on Proposed Kilifi 500B Nuclear Plant in Kilifi
Members of the National Assembly Committee on Environment, Forestry, and Mining have resolved to conduct extensive stakeholder consultations before the construction of the proposed Ksh 500 billion nuclear power plant in Kilifi proceeds.
During a session held on Tuesday, March 11, most committee members supported the proposal to seek broader input, with only a few opposing it. Proponents of the project highlighted its potential to boost the national economy, citing similar successes in other developing countries.
“Let us not kill something that has been invented elsewhere and helped others; we only need to come up with a plan to fill the gaps in some of our observations. This is a national project involving taxpayers,” noted Kacheliba MP Titus Lotee.
However, Lotee raised concerns about critical gaps in the Strategic Environment and Social Assessment (SESA) following a site visit to Uyombo, Kilifi. He emphasized that Kenya’s nuclear power programme is not yet prepared to address the significant challenges and risks identified. The assessment was conducted based on advice from the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA).
Isiolo North MP Mohammed Tubi, who opposed the project, echoed Lotee’s concerns, stressing that Kenya is currently not ready for such a complex undertaking.
Kilifi County MP Gertrude Mbeyu also urged the committee to prioritize local concerns, noting that residents had raised serious environmental fears.
“Chair, this report is about Uyombo residents and not about global interests; let’s respect what they told this Committee at the time of the visit,” Mbeyu insisted.
The committee resolved to engage key state agencies, including the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, the Ministry of Energy, the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA), and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), before compiling a report to be tabled in the National Assembly.
Environment CS Aden Duale had earlier denied claims that construction of the nuclear plant had begun in Kilifi. Speaking before the committee on October 15, 2024, Duale clarified that the site in question was being used by the Kenya Meteorological Department for weather monitoring equipment.
Plans to construct Kenya’s first nuclear power plant were announced in 2023, with NuPEA CEO Justus Wabuyabo indicating that Kilifi or Kwale were potential sites. The 1,000MW plant is set to begin construction in 2027 and become operational by 2034.
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MPs Demand More Dialogue on Proposed Kilifi 500B Nuclear Plant in Kilifi
