Lucky escape for Nakuru IDPs as two bombs found in camp

Suleiman Mbatiah | NATION
Experts prepare to detonate a home-made bomb at Marco IDP Camp in Rongai, Nakuru County on April 01, 2013. Though residents notified police early in the morning, administrators thought it was a Fool’s Day prank and showed up at 4pm.

What you need to know:

  • Land where device was found has been at the centre of a dispute before displaced were settled

Police detonated two bombs that were planted at a camp for the Internally Displaced Persons in Nakuru County.

The camp at Rongai has more than 300 IDPs who were recently settled at the farm by the government.

The two bombs at San Marco IDP camp were detonated by explosive experts led by Rongai police boss Joseph Mwamburi, acting district commissioner Jackson ole Chuta  and other senior police officers.

According to the OCPD, the bombs were discovered by a herdsman as he was grazing in an open field.

The man then informed the area chief.

“These are deadly bombs which if they had exploded, could have led to many casualties but thank God we moved very fast after receiving the information ,” said Mr Mwamburi.

Probe on

He said investigations have commenced to establish how the bombs were planted in the open field which was set aside for the construction of public utilities for the IDPs.

He said the herder noticed some wires which were protruding from the ground and alerted the chief.

Mr Mwamburi cautioned the residents against playing with metallic objects they found in their farms but instead should alert the authorities if such devices are found.

However, sources at the scene told the Nation that the plot where the bombs were planted was at the centre of a dispute.

“We are yet to establish the motive of the bombs in an IDP camp and already we have launched our investigations and we hope to get to the bottom of this matter very soon,” added Mr Mwamburi.

The exercise to detonate the bombs was slowed down by a heavy rains that were pounding the areas.

Shaken IDPs were hurriedly evacuated from the scene moments after the two bombs were found.

“We managed to evacuate the IDPs to safer grounds moments after the incident was  reported to us,” said Mr Mwamburi.