James Keter appointed Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority boss
From right: Newly appointed Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority Director General James Keter addresses the media accompanied by Chairman Omondi Anyanga, Compliance Director John Opar and Senior Procurement Officer Catherine Juka in Nairobi on October 12, 2023.
The government will work with relevant stakeholders to strengthen regulatory controls and ensure a safe and secure use of nuclear technologies and radiation sources.
Senior officials at the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) also said on Thursday (October 12) that safe use of radiation and management of radioactive waste are priorities as Kenya seeks to establish a nuclear power plant by 2034.
KNRA Director-General James Keter said the authority will play its rightful role in making Kenya a citadel of human and environmental safety as technology advances globally in the medical, security, research and health sectors.
Mr Keter was speaking at a press briefing at the KNRA headquarters in Nairobi after the authority's board, through a legal transition, appointed him as the substantive director general for a three-year term from October 12, 2023.
The appointment, announced by Board Chairman Omondi Anyanga, is in accordance with section 99 (2)(b) of the Transitional Provisions of the Nuclear Regulation Act, No 29 of 2019. Mr Keter has been Acting General Manager since March 2, 2023.
"The board is confident that Keter and the KNRA team will take this authority to a new level. We cannot afford to compromise on anything as technology grows and countries increasingly look towards nuclear power as a solution in many areas," said Mr Anyanga.
Mr Keter was appointed acting director-general on March 2, 2023, after more than 20 years as a regulator at the former Radiation Protection Authority.
"I like what I do and that's why I believe that together we will make a difference," he added.
He holds an MSc in Nuclear Power Plant Engineering from KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (South Korea) and an MSc in Nuclear Science from the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Nairobi (Kenya).
Mr Keter holds a Bachelor of Science degree (Physics major) from the University of Nairobi and has attended various international courses and conferences in the nuclear and radiation fields.
The KNRA is a successor to the former Radiation Protection Board (RPB), which was established in 1986. Its mandate is to protect people, property and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation.
Mr Keter's appointment comes at a time of intense global interest in nuclear and radiation safety.
In April, the US hosted a major conference where countries including Kenya and Ghana discussed the need to establish nuclear power programmes that meet the highest standards of safety, security and non-proliferation.
