Garissa leaders have demanded a swift and independent probe into a suspected unexploded ordnance blast that killed two young siblings in Bura East. The leaders, who met with senior security officers, local leaders, and residents, said the circumstances surrounding the Sunday morning tragedy must be established and those responsible, if any, held accountable. The meeting was attended by close family members of the victims.
The Sunday tragedy happened when two siblings, Malyun Ahmed Diriye, 15, and her brother Abdi Ahmed Burale, 16, reportedly encountered an unidentified metallic object and began striking it with a panga, inadvertently triggering a powerful explosion. The boy is said to have struck the object, setting off the blast that left the siblings with critical injuries. The girl was rushed to a nearby military camp for emergency stabilisation but died shortly afterwards.
Her brother later succumbed to his injuries as medical personnel attempted to save his life. They were buried on the same day in accordance with Islamic rites. ODM nominated MP and Garissa Woman Representative aspirant Umulkheir Harun commended residents for remaining calm following the tragedy, saying cooperation between the community and security agencies was essential in the pursuit of justice.
Harun said that, despite the need to establish what happened, the immediate priority should remain supporting the grieving family and ensuring the deaths are thoroughly investigated. She said the meeting had agreed to establish a joint working arrangement to facilitate cooperation between local leaders, residents, and security officers as investigations proceed.
Nanighi MCA Abdullahi Ibrahim said the family deserves justice and timely answers over the deaths of the two children. He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the community and security agencies to discuss the tragedy and agree on a collaborative approach to the investigations. Ibrahim thanked the security team for engaging with residents and pledged the community’s support for the process.
Garissa senatorial aspirant Mohamed Shale said the community was ready to cooperate with investigators, including allowing the bodies to be exhumed for postmortem examinations if authorities determined the procedure was necessary to establish the cause of death. The suspected involvement of explosive material has heightened concerns about the danger posed by unidentified metallic objects, particularly in areas where residents may encounter them.
Authorities are expected to establish the nature of the object that detonated and the circumstances under which it came to be in the village. It is suspected that the weapon was an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) that is believed to have been left behind during a previous security encounter involving suspected al Shabaab militants. Leaders appealed to residents to avoid handling or striking unfamiliar metallic objects and to report any suspicious items to security agencies for assessment and safe disposal.
Key points
- Garissa leaders demand a swift and independent probe into a suspected unexploded ordnance blast that killed two young siblings in Bura East.
- The community is cooperating with security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and ensure justice is delivered.
- Authorities suspect the object that detonated may have been an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) left behind during a previous security encounter involving suspected al Shabaab militants.
