Members of Parliament have launched investigations into nuclear waste dumping in the North Eastern region.

This is after it emerged that about 2,427 cancer cases linked to the dumping of nuclear and toxic waste have been recorded since 2023.

The National Assembly Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining has commenced investigations to determine how the toxic and nuclear waste was dumped in Wajir, Garissa and Marsabit counties to bring those responsible to book and avert any further loss of life.

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama on Tuesday told the House environment team that 2,427 cases had been recorded in the last three years alone, attributing this to the dumping of toxic and nuclear waste in the North Eastern region in the early 1980s and 1990s.

While expressing concern over the increased number of cancer cases, with throat cancer being the most prevalent in the region, Jama revealed that a total of 440 cancer cases were recorded in the year 2023, another 1,347 cases in 2024 and 640 cases by June this year.

The Governor explained that most of the cases reported at the Garissa Regional Cancer Centre, which serves patients from across the North Eastern region counties, came from rural areas, which was a disturbing phenomenon.

“The increasing number of cancer cases in the region is indeed disturbing, with the most common cases being throat or oesophagus cancer. It could be related to the toxic and nuclear waste that was dumped there, given that the toxic waste contaminates the groundwater water which is later consumed by our people and their animals… This is an issue that has haunted the people of northern Kenya for years,” said Jama.

“We are asking this committee to conduct a thorough investigation,n roping in all the experts so we can deal with this issue,” he added.

Wajir South MP Adow Mohammed, who had appeared alongside the Governor, told the committee that based on interviews with local communities and local leaders, there is substantial evidence pointing towards incidents of dumping of toxic waste in the region, potentially including nuclear waste, across multiple sites within Wajir County.

The committee heard that some of the sources interviewed during the compilation of a report by Mohamed actually witnessed the dumping of substances in specific locations in Garissa, as they had been employed as casual labourers by the foreign companies said to have buried the waste in the county.

“The dumping of waste has had severe environmental and health consequences for Wajir County. The contamination of soil and water sources has led to the degradation of the local ecosystem, affecting agriculture and livestock, which are the mainstay of the county’s economy. Additionally, there have been reports of increased incidences of cancer and other diseases among the residents, which are believed to be linked to exposure to hazardous waste,” stated Mohammed.

“While the direct link between these health issues and the dumped waste is yet to be fully established, preliminary assessments strongly indicate a correlation. The presence of toxic substances, potentially including nuclear waste, raises serious concerns about chronic health conditions, including high cases of cancer on the population exposed to these contaminants over time.”

He further added, “Unfortunately, we don’t know the names of companies that dumped the waste, but there is no doubt that toxic waste was buried in the ground in containers…”

Charity MP Charity Kathambi regretted the state’s delayed or lack of action over the matter and called for the prosecution of the companies behind the dumping of the waste.

“It is painful that up to now we can sit and watch Kenyans die …we cannot keep saying we need money to investigate or do research. it is time we took action. The names of the companies behind these are known are somewhere and it is perhaps time that we spoke of compensation to the families of the affected,” said Kathambi.

Committee chair Vincent Musyoka, while calling for the conduct of radioactivity tests in the North Eastern region, questioned the origin of the toxic dump, pointing to foreign companies operating in the 1980s and 1990s. He consequently directed that the probe ropes in the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Energy, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEEMA) and even the National Intelligence Service.

“This is a matter that should have attracted military attention, let alone the Ministry of Health’s, because it is a security matter…Kenya has not had any nuclear installations, meaning that the waste came from another country and it was dumped here. We will find those who imported the hazardous material into the country, and they will be held accountable,” stated the chair.

The Committee vice chair and Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren emphasised the need to unearth past or present government officials who reportedly enriched themselves through the allowance of the dumping of waste in the country at the expense of residents.

“Why is it that the entire government system has decided to hide this information on the toxic waste? Who enriched themselves from this and messed up the country. Whoever you are, wherever you are we will find you,” Kamuren had said.