HOMA BAY, Kenya — Fishermen in Mbita were left shaken after hauling 20 live bombs from Lake Victoria in two separate incidents, prompting a security alert along the lakeshore.
The first discovery occurred on March 1, 2026, at Litare Beach in the Mbita area. According to police and witnesses, a group of fishermen believed they had netted a massive fish. Instead, they pulled out a box containing live explosives and ammunition.
Their excitement quickly turned to panic.
“They thought it was a big catch. When they opened it, they realised it contained bombs,” a police officer familiar with the incident said.
The fishermen abandoned the box at the lakeshore and alerted security officials. Officers later collected the devices, which police described as highly dangerous. Authorities urged residents to report any suspicious objects immediately and avoid handling them.
A day later, on March 2, another group of fishermen made a similar discovery at Koguna Beach, also within Mbita Sub-County. This time, 14 more bombs were recovered from the water. The area is known for its rich fishing grounds.
Police said the explosives were propellant-type devices and also contained bullets. The recovered bombs were moved to Mbita Sub-County Police Headquarters and are awaiting disposal by the Bomb Disposal and Hazardous Materials Unit based in Kisumu.
Security officials have not disclosed how the explosives ended up in the lake. However, they acknowledged that such recoveries are not unprecedented.
Concerned fishermen said the number of explosives retrieved from the lake in recent years is worrying. Similar discoveries were reported in 2021.
In 2019, explosives believed to date back to the colonial era were found concealed in old, rusty wooden boxes within the lake. Officials have previously indicated that some of the devices could be remnants of past military activities or improperly disposed of ammunition.
Authorities have since launched a sensitisation campaign targeting fishing communities. The initiative aims to educate residents on how to identify explosive devices and understand the risks they pose.
The Bomb Disposal Unit typically destroys recovered explosives at a secure location to prevent accidental detonation.
Police continue to caution fishermen against tampering with unfamiliar metallic objects or sealed containers retrieved from the water.
The back-to-back discoveries have heightened anxiety among local fishing communities, who rely on the lake for their livelihoods. Security agencies say they are monitoring the situation closely and will intensify patrols and public awareness efforts along the lakeshore.
