Luhya Elders Confront Government Over Mining and Nuclear Plans, Demand Community Protection

A coalition of Luhya elders has intervened to address escalating tensions between local communities and the national government concerning two major resource projects in Western Kenya. The elders, summoning senators for urgent talks, have placed the contentious issues of gold mining in Ikolomani and a proposed nuclear power plant in Siaya at the forefront of a regional struggle for fairness, safety, and economic justice.

The confrontation underscores a deepening rift between grassroots communities and state-driven development agendas. In Ikolomani, Kakamega County, sits an estimated Ksh680 billion gold deposit. Despite the immense wealth beneath their feet, residents fear that large-scale commercial mining, reportedly involving a British company, will displace them without providing sustainable alternatives.

“It is almost criminal disenfranchisement,” the elders stated, drawing a parallel to what they called the opaque handling of the Mumias and Nzoia sugar factories. They warned against allowing “proxies of companies of politicians, especially from outside the Mulembe nation,” to take advantage of the region’s resources.

This sentiment is echoed on the ground, where residents, despite recent deadly clashes that claimed three lives, have vowed not to abandon their small-scale mining activities—a critical source of livelihood.

Simultaneously, in neighboring Siaya County, a different kind of anxiety is brewing. The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) has identified the area as the preferred site for Kenya’s first nuclear power plant, a Ksh490 billion ($3.8 billion) project touted as essential for meeting the nation’s growing energy demand.

However, locals and elders are expressing profound alarm. “Our attention has been drawn to the safety concerns with respect to the risks of cancers and other existential threats to the region,” they warned. The elders insist that the “Mulembe leadership”—a reference to the political and cultural leadership of the Luhya community—must be fully involved and give approval before any project proceeds.

International experts have echoed some of these concerns. Hartmut Winkler, a nuclear energy specialist at the University of Johannesburg, notes that such plants are “extremely expensive” and often take decades to complete, pointing to significant financial and technical hurdles.

Amidst this standoff, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi met with the Luhya Elders Forum on Thursday, December 11. Senator Sifuna committed to amplifying the community’s fears in legislative chambers. “We have promised to amplify these concerns in our respective capacities to ensure fairness and justice to the people of the region,” Sifuna stated.

The senators now have a clear pathway for action. Through senate committees like the Standing Committee on Lands, Environment & Natural Resources, they can summon mining officials—potentially including Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho—to provide details on the Ikolomani takeover. Furthermore, the Senate’s oversight role over counties allows them to press the Kakamega County government to outline concrete measures for protecting residents if large-scale mining proceeds.

The government maintains that both projects are vital for national economic growth and energy security. Yet, for the communities of Western Kenya, the debate has moved beyond economics to encompass fundamental questions of transparent governance, environmental safety, and the right to shape their own future. The elders’ intervention marks a pivotal moment, framing the conflict not merely as a protest, but as a demand for a seat at the table where the fate of their homeland is decided.