Panic gripped residents of Nduma village in Kikuyu, Kiambu County, after a local farmer stumbled upon a live mortar bomb while tilling his farm on Friday morning.
According to Kikuyu Sub-County Police Commander Joseph Ndege, the explosive device — an 80mm artillery bomb, popularly known as an “80 mic mic” — is believed to have originated from the colonial era.
Police officers swiftly moved in to secure the area, as bomb disposal experts from the Bomb Disposal Unit were deployed to handle the situation.
“The area has been cordoned off to ensure public safety as the experts assess and move the bomb to a safe location,” Ndege told reporters.
Authorities said the specialists opted not to detonate the explosive on-site due to the potential danger it posed to the nearby community and farmland.
“The bomb has a blast range of over 50 meters, and it could cause significant damage if detonated here,” Ndege explained, adding that the team was considering moving it to a safer area such as Kanyoyo for controlled detonation.
The recovered mortar is a smoothbore, muzzle-loaded explosive, a common weapon design from the British 3-inch/81mm family, including the Stokes and Ordnance ML 3-inch mortars used during World War I and later adapted during the Mau Mau uprising and other colonial military operations in Kenya.
Experts warn that old mortar shells can remain active for decades, making them extremely dangerous if handled by untrained individuals.
Police have since urged members of the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious metallic or explosive-looking objects to authorities rather than attempting to move them.
“If you come across any strange device or object that looks like a bomb, do not touch it. Call the nearest police station immediately,” Ndege advised.
The incident serves as a chilling reminder of Kenya’s colonial past — and the hidden dangers that sometimes resurface decades later beneath ordinary farmlands.
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