Kenya joins group of nuclear states after 26-year absence

By VPPS

Kenya has been re-elected to the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after a 26 -year absence.

This follows strong lobbying by a team led by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Higher Education Minister Sally Kosgei at the 53rd IAEA congress.

Kalonzo, who addressed the congress on Monday, asked member states to consider the country’s application to join the board.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka meets Cypriot Minister for Foreign Affairs Markos Kyprianou after arriving in Cyprus, Friday. [PHOTO: VPPS]

The last time Kenya was in the board of the 35-member agency was in 1983. The country was readmitted alongside Cameroon, yesterday.

Africa is entitled to five places in the board.

The Vice-President, who flew to Cyprus for a two-day visit after the IAEA meeting in Austria, said Kenya would use her position to forge strong partnerships that would enable her adopt nuclear technology for power generation.

Nuclear capability

"We continue to have serious power shortages and because of climate change, every indication is that we must move away from dependency on hydro-electric power if we are to become self-sufficient. Nuclear energy will be essential for our development in future," he said.

He said despite the fact that it takes time for a developing country like Kenya to achieve nuclear capability, it is important for the country to prepare itself in line with Vision 2030.

Dr Kosgei said the country would achieve a lot as a result.

"Already, we have 14 main projects with IAEA, majority of which are in the health, followed by human resources development. It is our intention to expand these projects for the benefit of Kenyans," she said.

Kosgei said plans are under way to set up a major cancer treatment facility in Nairobi.

Director of Kenyatta National Hospital Jotham Muchemi, who was part of the delegation to Vienna, said there is a looming cancer epidemic.

"Incidences of cancer are rising and already assuming epidemic proportions. We need to ensure early diagnosis to save lives. Therefore, we need to set up more facilities to detect cancer early and that is where the partnership with IAEA comes in," said Dr Muchemi said.

Also in the delegation was National Council of Sciences Secretary Saukat Abdulrazak.