Three killed and scores injured as terror gangs target Nairobi commuters

Three people were killed and more than 50 injured in near-simultaneous explosions in Nairobi on Sunday.

The blasts targeted buses on the Thika Superhighway and were about seven minutes apart.

The attacks come a day after similar atrocities targeting upcountry buses in Mombasa on Saturday night.

An explosion went off on a 52-seater bus named Jeean at the Homeland bus stop opposite Garden City, outside Homeland Inn near Kenya Breweries at around 5.05pm.

A second explosion was in a Mwisacco bus at the Kasarani underpass at around 5.29pm. Reports indicated that a third explosion went off at Mwiki shopping centre about six kilometres from the Kasarani underpass.

The first bus was heading to Githurai, the second to Mwiki. All were from the city centre. The explosions occurred two kilometres apart.

Some witnesses said the first explosive was from a device hurled from a moving vehicle while others said it was inside the bus. Fuel from the bus spilled on the road and police blocked a section of the busy road and motorists driving from town had to use exits from the highway.

An officer attached to the diplomatic unit said at least one of the victims died inside the bus whose windows were shattered and whose underside was also destroyed. Most of those injured in the incidents were thrown out of the buses on impact from the explosions,  suspected to have been caused by improvised explosive devices.

A witness said that survivors were taken to various hospitals by motorists. By the time police and ambulances arrived at the scene, all the survivors had been rescued.

Dr Antonio Milito of Ruaraka Uhai Neema Hospital where most of the victims were taken before being transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital said the hospital received two bodies and more than 50 injured people.

SERIOUS INJURIES

“Most of the patients suffered multiple fractures and other injuries from shrapnel from the explosion,” Dr Milito said.

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) received 16 women, 11 men and four children.

One woman, was declared dead on arrival while six were in critical condition, chief executive  Lilian Tare told the Press.

 Mr Kennedy Asoka, who was in the Mwisacco bus with his wife and child, said his wife was seriously injured.

“I was thrown out of the bus together with my daughter on impact and it was only later that I learnt my wife had been injured,” Mr Asoka told Nation.

Police spokeperson Zipporah Mboroki said initial reports indicated that one person was killed in the blasts while seven were seriously injured and 39 others had slight injuries.

In Mombasa, a new order has been issued to screen everyone using roads leading to beaches in Mombasa after an explosive went off at a Nyali beach and another exploded at a bus stop, killing three people and injuring 24 others on Saturday night.

The order came as the Opposition coalition, Cord, asked the government to withdraw its forces from Somalia to reduce terrorist attacks on Kenyan soil.

“Today, in the aftermath of the second terror attack since the government launched what we advised was an ill-conceived and poorly executed plan to rid the country of militants, we are forced to demand once again that the government presents a roadmap for withdrawal of Kenyans troops from Somalia,” said interim party chairman Anyang’ Nyong’o in a press statement.

Although no casualties were reported in the hotel blast, Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa yesterday said all roads leading to beaches would be secured to prevent similar attacks in future.

His order came as hotel owners in the tourist town protested after the US government asked its citizens to stay away from Mombasa. Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association chairman Mohamed Hersi said the travel warning  was unfortunate and could be construed that America was giving in to terrorists (see separate story on Page 19). Two of the victims of the attack were buried yesterday.

Reported by Wachira Mwangi, Ouma Wanzala, Zaddock Angira and Bozo Jenje