Saku: Grief has gripped Karare trading centre in Saku constituency, Marsabit county after a man and his son were killed by an unexploded ordnance Wednesday afternoon. The county Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), David Saruni, reported that a man took home an object resembling a hand grenade, intending to show it to his son.
According to Kenya News Agency, the unfortunate incident occurred when the man collected what he thought was a valuable treasure from a grazing field. The device exploded in the deceased's hand, killing both the man and his son instantly in their semi-permanent family house. Fortunately, no other family members were harmed, as the wife and their three other children were reportedly away at the time.
The DCC stated that the explosion happened at around 4 pm, with preliminary investigations suggesting that the man intended to determine the object's value. Residents reported hearing a loud blast, and upon rushing to the scene, they found the father and son lying lifeless on the ground.
Saruni urged the public to refrain from collecting or attempting to dismantle strange devices, warning that they could be explosives and pose significant danger. He also advised local chiefs to educate residents on the risks associated with handling such objects and to report any findings to the authorities.
A team of bomb experts from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) was dispatched to manage the situation. This incident follows a recent discovery of unexploded explosives, later identified as bombs, buried in the ground by artisanal miners in the gold-rich Dabel area in Moyale sub-County.