Fishermen in Kenya's Nyanza region around Lake Victoria have discovered 20 live bombs in two separate incidents. The explosives have been secured by police for investigation. Their origin remains unclear, possibly linked to past conflicts or the colonial era.
The fishermen mistook the explosives for a large catch during their routine activities. The first incident occurred on Sunday, March 1, at Litare in Mbita, where they found a box containing the bombs and brought it to the shore before alerting police officers. The officers arrived promptly and took custody of the devices, describing them as highly dangerous.
The following day, another group of fishermen at Koguna beach discovered a separate cargo with 14 explosives. All the bombs were moved to the Mbita Sub-County Police Headquarters. According to police, the devices are propellant-type and contain bullets. They are now under the custody of security personnel in Homa Bay County, awaiting safe disposal by the Disposal and Hazardous Materials Unit based in Kisumu City.
This is not the first such discovery in Lake Victoria. In August 2021, fishermen from Homa Bay County recovered 6 mortar bombs from the lake. In 2019, colonial-era explosives were found concealed in an old rusty wooden box in the lake. Upon discovery, some fishermen panicked and jumped into the water, while others steered their boat to safety.
Reports indicate that such explosives are often believed to be leftovers from past military conflicts or the colonial era. Similar bombs have been recovered in other parts of the country, particularly in Samburu, linked to British Army Training Units (BATUK). Police have urged residents to report any such findings immediately.
