Three arrested in protests against nuclear plant

Three people, have been arrested after protests against construction of a nuclear plant in Uyombo village in Kilifi county turned violent.

Several people, including a police officer were injured in the Tuesday protests which lasted hours.

Residents engaged police officers in running battles, declaring the construction site a no go zone.

The government, through the Nuclear Power Energy Agency, is planning to set up a Sh500 billion nuclear power plant at Uyombo village.

Centre for Justice, Governance and Environmental Action executive director Phyllis Omido accused the police of using bullets and teargas on protesters.

“We are condemning what is happening in Uyombo in the strongest terms possible. The Uyombo community has raised legitimate concerns which must be heard and addressed,” she said.

The organisation has been in the forefront opposing the planned establishment of the nuclear plant in the area, saying it is a Unesco-protected biodiversity area.

Nupea officials and police officers visited Uyombo Girls High School on Monday evening where a weather station is supposed to be built.

On Tuesday morning, a contractor moved to site and started work.

This angered the residents, who gathered and started picketing.

Police were then mobilised to quell the growing tension, but a violent confrontation ensued.

Uyombo Beach Management Unit secretary Elisha Mzee said they fear the project will interrupt marine life.

He said most of the Uyombo residents depend on fishing and tourism for their livelihoods and any interference with the ecosystem is interference with their lives.

“These people have started working on the project. Let’s not lie to each other. They are slashing and digging the foundation,” Mzee said.

“We do not want a nuclear plant in Uyombo. We have said this before and we will say it again and again.”

Muslims for Human Rights rapid response officer Francis Auma said Uyombo residents have been belittled.

“There have been talks between Nupea and the residents but we see goal posts being shifting every time,” he said.

“The government is being insensitive to this community. Bringing police to beat up people and intimidate them is very wrong. You can’t use force to impose a project on people. When residents say no to a project, respect that,” Auma said.

Kilifi North deputy county commissioner Samuel Mutisya on Wednesday morning told the Star the residents are jumping the gun.

“It is true there are expectations that a nuclear plant could be set up in Uyombo. But this is not absolute that the plant will be established there. That is just a proposed area amongst others,” he said.

“Many studies have to be done to establish whether the area is suitable. If found to be not suitable, the government will look for another area.”

“If residents do not want something, they should not use violence to prove their point. Whatever happened yesterday was against the law,” Mutisya said.

Nupea director of publicity, advocacy and communication Basset Buyukah said Uyombo residents should not worry about the construction going on at Uyombo Girls high.

“They are just setting up a Met station. There is also similar met station at Pwani University, which is not very far away,” he told the Star.

Buyuka said the Met station is just for collecting data on the weather patterns.

The station will collect climatic data that will be used to predict certain phenomena.

He said the construction of the actual plant will start in 2027, before commissioning in 2034.

Two of the three arrested people, residents Edward Kitole and Moses Ngari, were to appear at the Kilifi court on Wednesday with the DCI set to make a miscellaneous application to detain them.

The third arrested person, CJGEA official Godian Kimbio, was released unconditionally at around 11am.

They were yet to be arraigned by the time of going to press.