Elders from the Luhya and Luo communities have jointly rejected several government projects planned for the Nyanza and Western regions, citing environmental, social, and economic concerns.
The position was announced during a meeting held at Shieywe Guest House in Kakamega, where the Luhya Elders Forum hosted their Luo counterparts. The gathering provided a platform for the two communities to deliberate on issues of mutual interest affecting their regions.
The elders noted that the Luhya and Luo communities share a long history of peaceful coexistence and have never engaged in historical warfare since the formation of the Republic. As such, they emphasised that any development affecting the Luhya nation inevitably impacts the Luo community, and vice versa.
A major concern raised was the government’s plan to establish a nuclear power plant in Siaya County, within the Lake Victoria ecosystem. The elders said the proposed project had caused widespread anxiety and was unanimously rejected.
According to the elders, the nuclear power plant poses serious environmental and health risks, not only to the Luo community but also to neighbouring communities, including the Luhya, who depend on the Lake Victoria ecosystem and have coexisted harmoniously with the Luo for decades.
They questioned the government’s decision to relocate the project to Siaya after it was previously proposed in Kilifi County and rejected by the local community there. The elders said they were baffled that the project was moved to another region without addressing the concerns that led to its rejection in Kilifi.
“As an elders’ forum, we reject this project in totality. There was no meaningful public participation, and we warn the government against imposing dangerous projects on communities without their consent,” they said.
To better understand the potential risks, the elders resolved to form a joint technical committee to assess the nuclear power plant proposal. The committee will be chaired by a Luo elder, with a Luhya elder serving as vice chair, and will present its findings to the wider elders’ forum.
The meeting also raised concerns over gold mining activities in Ikolomani, Kakamega County. The elders expressed suspicion over how the government is handling the issue, saying they sense a sinister motive in the approach being taken.
They opposed the displacement of residents from their ancestral land and called on the government to formulate clear legislation and policies to properly regulate gold mining, particularly in rural areas.
Challenges facing the fisheries sector were also discussed, with the elders calling for lasting solutions to problems affecting fishing communities in the region, to safeguard livelihoods for future generations.
In a symbolic move aimed at strengthening unity, the elders proposed reviving the spirit of the formative days of Kavirondo by developing a common name to cluster the two regions into one socio-economic bloc.
“We want to promote shared social and economic unity and ensure continued peaceful coexistence between the Luhya and Luo communities,” they said.
The Luhya delegation included elders Fred Omido, Dr Noah Wekesa, Peter Ludava, and Andrew Okumu, all from the elders’ secretariat, among others. The Luo delegation was led by Deputy Ker, Secretary General Mr Vutalis Awandu, Mr Jotham Oloo, and other elders.
