Army mops up bombs, aircraft rockets in Kajiado

By David Ochami

The Kenya military has declared Kajiado North district to be almost free from unexploded ordnance (UXOs) after a 40-day sweep of pastoralist scrubland.The army's engineering corps cleared an area covering 90 square kilometres.

Dozens of dormant weapons, including 14 live bombs, 134 different ammunitions and an air-craft borne rocket besides other projectiles, some believed to be from Britain were discovered and decommissioned, exploded or sent for forensic analysis to determine origin.

"We think we have been successful. We believe the risk [of unexploded ordnances] has been diffused almost 100 per cent," said Brigadier George Owinow who led the operation to remove, store and decommission UXOs in the area.

Internal Security minister George Saitoti disclosed that the origin of some of weapons is not known as they have never been in Kenya’s arsenal.

Mourners, among them Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, at the burial of the five children who were killed in a bomb blast at Ol Maroroi village in Kajiado District in May. The military has now declared a near 100% success in a mop up exercise of dormant ordnances. [Photo: BONIFACE OKENDO/Standard]

The head of the operation Brigadier George Owinow admitted that "some breaches" were made by the armed forces that trained there leaving behind the weaponry because training with live ammunition must be followed by a clean sweep of the test range for unexploded devices and any remnants.

A rocket normally fired from a plane was discovered near Magadi, according to Brigadier Owinow as other officials disclosed that the device that killed five children in May was actually discovered suspended on top of trees.

"There are some which our army has never had," Saitoti said referring to the discoveries and added that no foreign forces have trained in these parts since independence although the region hosted British forces during colonial times.

Saitoti said the military will clear UXOs in other parts of the country and said all military practices will be conducted in secure areas and compensate communities affected by UXOs.

About one battalion of officers from Nanyuki and Thika barracks led by Brigadier George Owinow was deployed to Ewaso Kedong and other parts of the district in the wake of the May 8 explosion that killed five children in that area.

Besides sweeping for the weapons the forces conducted civic education in schools, churches and public places to educate the pastoralists how to identify UXOs, map them and safety measures to follow.

Brigadier Owinow said local people have been ignorant about these explosives and can accidentally touch them believing they can extract metallic ornaments from them.

Captain Arthur Angiela said the bomb that killed the five children was discovered atop an acacia tree and exploded when the unsuspecting infants brought it down and tried to play with it.

Saitoti together with members of Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Relations Committee witnessed the conclusion of the search and decommissioning of unexploded bombs and other ordnance at Saikeri division in Kajiado North.

Defence Committee chairman Aden Keinan said families of those killed and maimed will be compensated and added that areas where the forces train with live ammunition must be secured to protect civilians from harm.