One person is nursing injuries after he was shot in the leg following a confrontation that disrupted what was meant to be a public sensitisation meeting on the proposed Sh1 trillion nuclear power plant in Central Sakwa, Bondo, Siaya County, on Friday afternoon.
The meeting at Ka'John Trading Centre was attended by officials from the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) and Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda, who were explaining the project to residents when the crowd turned rowdy.
Mr David Otieno Mboya, an artisanal miner from Lenya Village, told the Nation that he was not among the locals attending the meeting. He said he was heading home from work when he was shot.
"I was just passing near the venue of the meeting when chaos ensued. Residents were throwing stones, while police were responding with gunshots. I suddenly felt a stinging pain in my left leg and realised that I had been shot," said Mr Otieno.
David Otieno Mboya, 29, was shot in the left leg during a confrontation between residents of KaJohn in Lenya village and individuals whom the residents alleged were security personnel accompanying Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda. Mr Mboya gave an exclusive interview to Nation at his home in Lenya, Bondo Sub-county, Siaya County, on July 24, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation
Mr Otieno could not tell whether he was shot by Dr Ochanda's bodyguards or by police officers who were present at the meeting.
He was rescued by well-wishers, who rushed him to Nango Sub-County Hospital, where he was treated before being transferred to Bondo Sub-County Hospital.
He, however, stressed that the community does not support the project because it would mean displacing people from a place they have called home for years.
"There are many places where this project can be undertaken, including Lake Turkana, but we will not accept this project even if we die fighting it," said Mr Otieno.
According to Otieno Ombok, who attended the meeting, NuPEA has not been listening to the concerns of the local community, leading to the chaos witnessed on Friday.
"The community felt that officials from NuPEA and KenGen have been cagey about critical information we have been seeking. That is why we told them not to come to the ground, but they went ahead anyway, and that is what brought about the chaos," said Mr Ombok.
He said officers from the agency had barely started erecting tents in preparation for the meeting when locals disrupted them.
"It was during this confrontation that police, who had been called in to quell the situation, shot one person in the leg. The confrontation continued for a long time, with locals also fighting back by throwing stones," said Mr Ombok.
Officials from the two State agencies were whisked away to safety as locals continued clashing with police, smashing the rear window of the Bondo Deputy County Commissioner's official vehicle and bringing the meeting to an abrupt end.
Mr Ombok accused the agencies of failing to follow public participation guidelines while engaging the community on the planned project.
"What NuPEA is doing is taking a few people to Kisumu and engaging them there while failing to answer questions on safety, compensation and displacement. It is as if the process is already predetermined, yet this project is going to affect our livelihoods," said Mr Ombok.
Mr Peter Leparsare, the Bondo Sub-County Police Commander, said by Friday night nobody had reported being shot, but acknowledged that chaos had erupted during the meeting in Central Sakwa.
"Nobody has reported being shot, but what I know is that an altercation ensued between residents and the MP's bodyguards and, as a way of dispersing the crowd, police fired shots into the air," said Mr Leparsare.
Residents of Sakwa had earlier staged protests in the planned project area, accusing officials of failing to fully explain the long-term environmental, health and economic implications of hosting a nuclear facility in the area.
The residents raised concerns about possible radiation exposure, contamination of water sources and the handling of radioactive waste should the project proceed.
They also faulted what they termed inadequate community consultations surrounding Kenya's ambitious nuclear energy plans.
The project was initially proposed for Kilifi County but was relocated to Siaya following resistance from local communities, highlighting the critical role of public trust in major infrastructure projects.
In May, NuPEA sought to calm growing public anxiety, insisting that the mega investment would only proceed with full community approval.
The agency said it recognises that the success of the multi-billion-shilling project depends not only on energy production targets but also on winning public trust and ensuring that the host community benefits from the venture.
Mr Justus Wabuyabo, NuPEA's Chief Executive Officer, said the agency would listen to residents' concerns as it rolls out what it described as an intensive grassroots sensitisation campaign aimed at demystifying nuclear energy and addressing fears surrounding safety, health, livelihoods and land.
Siaya Governor James Orengo has warned that the project's success will depend on continuous public engagement, transparency and the full consent of host communities.
The governor called for a clear communication strategy, urging government officials to engage local leaders, especially Members of the County Assembly, because they are closest to the people.
The landmark project is expected to increase the country's electricity generation capacity by between 3,000 and 6,000 megawatts.
