Siaya County Governor James Orengo has argued that the planned nuclear power plant establishment will boost employment rates in the devolved unit and the nearby regions.

Speaking on a local TV on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, Orengo said the county government of Siaya is planning to utilise local higher learning institutions to equip the locals with the needed skills in the particular field as preparations for the nuclear power plants’ establishments continue.

”The plant is going to employ quite a few people. One of the things we are trying to do is to create a faculty at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University to train people with the necessary skills. The plant will also see Siaya County get electricity at a cheaper cost to promote industrialisation,” Orengo said.

James Orengo also added that Siaya residents will be involved in the entire process for safety concerns. Orengo also admitted that little has been done in consulting the people on the ground regarding the whole issue.

”Safety and security are fundamental, I think, at the end of the day, if we talk to our people, and we have discussions with people in Vienna alongside the national government to get to people on the ground and visit the sites. The people to be affected by the plants must be involved, but there are more pluses than minuses,” Orengo said.

Elsewhere, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said that the Siaya nuclear power plant aims to enhance electricity access across the country.

Ground consultations

”I think we have not gone to the ground to the extent that we should; it is not an easy task, but we want to roll it off, and with the support of the national government, because it is something that needs to be driven by both levels of government… But more importantly, the International Atomic Energy Agency, based in Vienna, Austria, must be involved,” he added.

Earlier, James Orengo had praised the particular project, Kenya’s first nuclear power plant, valued at over Ksh500 billion, terming it a game-changer in the country’s industrialisation.

Kenya had identified Kwale, Kilifi, and Siaya as potential sites for the facility, but Kilifi residents were against the proposal, forcing the government to prioritise broader stakeholder engagement in Nyanza.

According to Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, the nuclear power plant is part of Kenya’s broader strategy to expand electricity generation and meet growing energy demands driven by industrialisation.