The Daily IIJ

Although Kenya is an energy deficient country going by frequent outages being experienced, the option to go nuclear currently under consideration by the Ministry of energy is not the best option. The heavy capital outlay needed to construct reactors will plunge the country into heavy indebtedness thus undermining provision of basic services.

Further still the country lacks a pool of nuclear experts that can run the reactors.
Going by our poor safety culture that has seen frequent occurrence of tragedies due to poor construction of buildings and resultant haphazard rescue operations, an accident in a nuclear reactor will be a great calamity. Uranium, the mineral used in nuclear reactors is experiencing a surge in price and could make generation of electricity expensive. Fears that uranium could be exhausted in less than a century makes investment in nuclear energy an unwise move.

Another ramification of relying on nuclear energy as a key source of   electric power is that the country will be highly vulnerable to political manipulation of any developed power that will grant it its nuclear technology.  Incase nuclear reactors start operating, the challenge of where to take used plutonium will emerge.  Currently Kenya lacks the capacity to handle nuclear waste. Another fear is our vulnerability to terrorist attacks.  If a nuclear reactor were to target there would be a heavy toll on the communities living near it as well as the environment.

Thus investment in renewable energy, which the country is highly endowed, is the secure way to go.
Kenya is yet to optimally exploit is huge potential in wind, solar and geothermal power. This sources of energy although still need further research to be fully harnessed are more secure, reliable and safe for both the poor, rural and urban communities.  Investment in them will not only spawn job creation but also protect the environment.

Analysts also say that Investment  in off grid wind and soiar units is not costly and households can access them on credit. Construction of energy efficient houses and use of efficient bulbs will save more energy. The above options will on the other hand relieve the country from relying on fossil fuels whose importation has an impact on the economy. Perhaps the government should reconsider its newly found affection with nuclear energy.