Police promise quick action as drama visits Riverwood

River Road, Nairobi, is a sea of humanity by day. And by night, just as the tide ebbs, the flow of humanity reduces to a trickle, giving way to a few urchins, travellers who arrive late in the night, tea vendors and a few souls of varying descriptions.

But Monday night, a section of the road was turned into a crime scene when a grenade exploded as passengers boarded a Kampala-bound bus. An employee of Kampala Coach, Mr Martin Antara, said he was checking passengers in the bus when he heard a loud explosion.

“I found myself lying down after the deafening sound. It was after I came back to my senses that I realised I was injured,” he said.

Mr Hussein Abdulaziz, a bus conductor, said that many passengers had queued to board the bus when the explosion occurred.

The bus was scheduled to leave at 7.30pm but there was a delay.

“I was checking off the passengers’ names on the manifest while security officials frisked them before they boarded the bus.

“Most passengers had boarded but about 15 were still on the queue when we heard an explosion,” a shaken Mr Abdulaziz said.

Bus manager Jamal Ahmed said a suspected attacker’s bag was being inspected when the explosion occurred.

“He was the fourth on the line and his luggage was being checked when it blew up. We don’t know if it was meant to explode inside the bus or outside,” Mr Ahmed said.

A witness, who declined to give his name, said he saw three men carrying a carton box join the queue as other passengers jostled to board the bus before they dropped the box, which then exploded.

Run for cover

“I was coming from the other side of the bus when I saw three men join the queue. Then there was a loud explosion and I ran for cover. I saw very many people injured,” the witness said.

The director-general of the National Security Intelligence Services, Maj-Gen Michael Gichangi, Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere, General Service Commandant William Saiya and Nairobi provincial police officer Anthony Kibuchi, were at the scene after the explosion to co-ordinate operations and track down two suspected attackers reported to have escaped towards Kirinyaga Road.

The others were the deputy officer in charge of the Bomb Disposal Unit, Mr Eliud Langat and the Special Crime Prevention Unit boss, Mr Richard Katola.

Mr Kibuchi said that investigations would establish the motive and identity of the attackers.

Police officers had by Monday night dusted fingerprints from the suspect identified by some of the injured passengers as the owner of the box that had blown up.

Nairobi acting Mayor George Aladwa, who rushed to the scene, urged the police and Kenyans to be more vigilant during the festive season and to “co-operate with police to bring criminals to book.

“Bus operators who park in the city centre should provide more security to their passengers to avoid such incidents.”