By Betty Luke
Tension is high in Bula, Isiolo after an explosive device was found near a public cemetery in the area.
The explosive, according to area manager Wario Elgoi, had been collected by a scrap metal dealer who upon realizing that it looked strange disposed it at the area.
“The dealer was looking for market for his scrap metals when one of the potential customers raised suspicion over the device,” Mr Elgoi told journalists.
On receiving the alert from a local resident, Mr Elgoi rushed to the scene where the device had been dumped.
The incident comes barely a month after a similar device was found dumped in a church compound in the area.
The devices are reportedly dropped by Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) soldiers during trainings which are later picked by scrap metal dealers.
The cases of explosives dumped in the area have been blamed on scrap metal business that sees dealers collect the devices without knowledge only to later realize that they are dangerous.
Mr Elgoi appealed to the government to ban the business maintaining that if the device had exploded, several people could have lost their lives.
“The dealers should be taken away from town or the business banned because it is posing a risk to the residents,” he said.
“We urge our people to refrain from picking or throwing stones to suspicious devices as they could be explosives”.
