Panic as bomb is discovered in Kwale

By Tobias Chanji

A bomb weighing 16 kilogrammes was on Tuesday found in Ukunda town, Kwale County after a man sold it to scrap metal dealers at a garage.

The seller fled the scene after discovering the piece of metal was a bomb that experts say is a tank shell traced to the First World War.

The explosive was taken away by officers from the bomb squad.

According to the Msambweni OCPD Jack Ekakuro, the bomb was among metal objects that the seller had brought for sale.

The OCPD said the seller fled and has not been traced.

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“It is a rusty sixteen kilogram’s bomb an indication that it might have been used in the First World War and it is very dangerous as can only be operated by a tanker. It is good that it did not explode but it is still very dangerous,” said Ekakuro who added that the unnamed seller might not have known what he was carrying.

“The man might have not known what he was carrying but he disappeared and I really want to thank the members of public for alerting us and being security conscious,” said the OCPD.

Speaking to the Standard separately Daniel Kimani who is the scrap metal dealer at the garage said the seller hails from Shimba Hills in Kwale County.

 “He came with it (explosive) on Sunday wrapped together with other metals and even when I weighed it I did not suspect anything till we started packing. We identified the metal which was different from the others and became suspicious. By then the man had already fled said Kimani.