President William Ruto has defended plans to develop a nuclear power plant in Siaya, dismissing concerns over the safety and benefits of nuclear energy as misinformation and politics. Ruto said Kenya needed to explore nuclear energy as part of efforts to expand electricity supply and support economic growth, arguing that countries such as France had demonstrated that nuclear power can be safely deployed. Speaking during a media engagement at Kisumu State Lodge, Ruto said the government would engage Siaya residents on the proposed project and address concerns surrounding the facility. “On the nuclear energy plant in Siaya, it's a conversation we will have with the people there,” Ruto said. He said Kenyan scientists, including experts from the region, were involved in developing the nuclear energy programme. “There are good scientists that are leading that exercise, and many of the good scientists leading that exercise are people from this region,” he said.

Ruto said he had discussed nuclear energy with French President Emmanuel Macron during the Africa Forward Summit and pointed to France's reliance on nuclear power as evidence of its potential. “In fact, 75 per cent of energy in France is generated from nuclear,” he said. The President said opposition to nuclear power was partly being fuelled by misinformation and political considerations. “So I think these are just, you know, sometimes misunderstanding, sometimes misinformation, sometimes a lot of politics,” Ruto said. He said Kenya needed to diversify its energy sources and embrace technologies capable of providing reliable power for industrialisation and economic growth. Ruto said the government would continue engaging Siaya residents as it advances the nuclear energy programme, insisting that the country must exploit renewable and alternative energy sources to meet its future power needs.

The proposed nuclear facility in Siaya has attracted attention in the region, with questions expected to focus on safety, environmental impact, land, compensation and the benefits local communities would derive from the project. Ruto said the government was confident that Siaya residents and other Kenyans would understand the need to explore nuclear power as part of the country's long-term energy strategy.