IEDs discovered in road Farah Maalim was to use on his way to campaign

Former Lagdera Member of Parliament Farah Maalim. [David Njaaga, Standard]

Two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were on Thursday evening discovered on a route that Wiper Party deputy leader Farah Maalim was to use on his way to campaign.

The IEDs had been planted by unknown people at Wardeglow area in Garissa County on the Kulan-Liboi Road.

Police had received intelligence that suspicious devices had been fixed on the road, and upon visiting the scene with bomb experts on Thursday evening, they established that they were IEDs.

The explosive devices were safely detonated.

Law enforcement officers at the scene in Garissa where two IEDs were discovered on July 28, 2022. [Farah Maalim, Twitter]

Farah Maalim, who was heading to Liboi to campaign for Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya elective seat candidates, said police, upon suspecting that dangerous devices had been planted on the road, directed him and his convoy to use another route.

"Our hawk-eyed security officers got intelligence that IEDs had been planted in my campaign route to Liboi. They halted my convoy, rerouted us and engaged services of bomb disposal experts. My profound gratitude to our officers," Maalim said on Twitter on Thursday night.

The matter was reported at Liboi Police Station under the OB Number 13/28/07/2022.

Police said it was a local herdsman who saw electric wires protruding from the ground and alerted the law enforcement officers.

"Upon visiting the scene, two IEDs were retrieved from the middle of the road," police said.

Investigations have commenced.

Maalim is a key political player in Wiper Party, and is said to have convinced his party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, to join hands with Raila Odinga ahead of the August 9, 2022 presidential election.