A farmer in Nduma village, Kikuyu, Kiambu County, discovered a highly explosive mortar bomb while ploughing his land, sparking panic among residents. Police and bomb experts have been dispatched to the scene to handle the device. Officials stated the bomb will be detonated in a safer location to avoid damage.
The incident occurred in Nduma village, Kikuyu, Kiambu County, where a farmer discovered an 80 mm mortar bomb, known as an '80 mic mic', while ploughing his land. The device is believed to date back to the colonial era. Residents of the area were thrown into panic, fearing it might explode.
Kikuyu Sub-County Police Commander Joseph Ndege confirmed the incident and stated that officers from the Bomb Disposal Unit had been dispatched to the site. He said the area had been cordoned off to allow the bomb squad to handle the explosive. “The bomb is likely to cause damage, and the threshold to which it can explode is a distance of more than 50 meters,” Ndege told the press on Friday, October 24, 2025.
Bomb specialists decided against detonating the device on the farm due to potential harm to the land and surrounding areas. Instead, it will be exploded in a safer location, preferably Kanyoyo, as determined by the experts. “As a result, it has been determined that this bomb be exploded somewhere safer, preferably in Kanyoyo, but we shall leave it to the experts,” Ndege added.
The mortar bomb is a smoothbore, muzzle-loaded type that fires fin-stabilised projectiles. Such mortars, from the British 3-inch/81 mm family like the Stokes and Ordnance ML 3-inch, were invented in World War I and used throughout the British Empire, including colonial operations in Kenya during the Mau Mau insurgency. Ndege urged Kenyans to exercise caution with suspicious gadgets and to call the police immediately in such cases.
This event highlights the dangers of old munitions that can remain live for decades, with experts always advising against touching them.