Residents living around Lake Victoria in the Nyanza region are living in fear after fishermen reportedly discovered live bombs submerged in the water.
The explosives were found in two separate incidents, with the first discovery occurring on Sunday, March 1, when fishermen initially believed they had made a significant catch before realizing they had encountered explosives.
During the incident at Litare in Mbita, the fishermen brought their catch to the lake’s shore before notifying authorities.
Police officers responded quickly to the scene and secured the explosives, describing them as extremely dangerous and urging residents to report any similar finds.
The following day, another group of fishermen at Koguna beach made a comparable find after catching a separate load containing 14 explosives.
After these incidents, officers transported the explosives to the Mbita Sub-County Police Headquarters. Police reports indicated the devices were propellant-type and also contained bullets.
The explosives are now being held by security forces in Homa Bay County, pending safe disposal by the Disposal and Hazardous Materials Unit located in Kisumu City.
This is not the first time such discoveries have been made in Lake Victoria. In August 2021, fishermen from Homa Bay County recovered six mortar bombs from the expansive lake.
After finding the explosives, some fishermen became fearful and jumped into the lake, while others successfully navigated their boat to safety.
Reports suggest that some of these explosives date back to the colonial era.
Likewise, in 2019, colonial-era explosives were found hidden in an old, rusted wooden box in the lake, causing alarm among residents who turned the devices over to authorities.
Nevertheless, bombs have also been recovered from various locations across the country, especially in Samburu, where multiple mortar bombs connected to British Army Training Units (BATUK) are frequently found by herders.