MACHAKOS, KENYA: Police in Masinga have issued an alert to area residents following several cases of discovery of abandoned bombs in the area.
Residents within the district have now been cautioned to be extra careful after a live bomb was discovered at Kwa Ndolo village of Kathukini Sub-location on Tuesday morning.
Sources told The Standard the explosive device was discovered by a local farmer while on routine activities in his farm. Police officers who were called in immediately confirmed the device was an 81mm live bomb.
Kithimani OCS David Muli confirmed that the bomb was later detonated by bomb experts from Criminal Investigation Department headquarters.
In an interview with The Standard on Thursday, Mr Muli disclosed that in the past one year, a total of 21 bombs had been discovered area residents although luckily enough no fatalities have so far been reported.
But area residents have expressed fear following the latest discovery, which probably sent a strong signal that more unknown dangerous weapons could still be buried within their neighborhood. âWe are worried because this area is now under settlement and one canât tell where danger lurks,â said a villager who identified himself only as Mutiso.
According to police, the area was used as a military training ground in the early 1970âs, and therefore more of such explosives could be discovered in future. âWe are told the area was used by Kenya Army as range area and therefore itâs very possible that more explosives could be discovered,â he said.
“The good news is that we have adequately sensitized the community about the matter and the effort appears to have borne positive results since we have never lost any lives from the abandoned explosives,” he observed.
By Erastus Mulwa, The Standard
