In a stunning security sweep that reads like a blockbuster thriller, a routine patrol along the Kanyonyoo–Embu Highway erupted into a high-stakes anti-terror operation after police intercepted a passenger bus ferrying deadly explosives disguised in a milk carton.
The Mombasa-to-Meru Tahmeed Coach bus was flagged down by a multi-agency patrol unit for a standard inspection. What followed was anything but routine: a white LATO Milk-branded box tucked beneath a seat was found to contain ten EXPLOGEL V6 water gel explosives, a detonating cord, and two IDEAL Electric Detonators—enough to wreak havoc if deployed.
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“The packaging was deceptive. This was not just another carton of milk. It was a ticking time bomb in disguise,” declared a senior ATPU official on the scene, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.
The bus was immediately diverted to Kanyonyo Police Station, where the driver, Lawrance Kioko Mutuku, and conductor, Said Rashid Amour, were arrested. Preliminary interrogations led officers from the Anti-Terrorist Police Unit (ATPU) and Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) on a trail of clues stretching from Mombasa to Western Kenya.
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Forensic tracking of the parcel’s origin pointed investigators to Mundutsu village in Kakamega County, where the alleged sender, Brenda Imboyanga Makhulungu, was dramatically apprehended in a late-night raid. Police say she declared the parcel as “Dawa ya Maji” (Water Medicine) when dispatching it from Tahmeed’s Kakamega office.
“This was an elaborate operation with clear intent to bypass national security systems. The suspect exploited inter-county transit to camouflage deadly materials,” said Kitui County Police Commander Martin Otieno.
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Further investigations led to the arrest of David Tindi Andala and John Kariuki Kung’u in Meru Town, believed to be awaiting delivery of the explosives.
“It’s a chilling reminder that terror threats are evolving. But so are our detection capabilities,” noted Interior Ministry Spokesperson Lydia Mwakazi in a press briefing.
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All five suspects remain in custody as investigators probe possible links to extremist groups or organized criminal networks. The intercepted explosives and the bus remain impounded as forensic experts analyze evidence.
“We’ve thwarted what could have been a national tragedy. The vigilance of our officers deserves commendation,” said Cabinet Secretary for Interior Security, Prof. Kithure Kindiki.
Authorities have promised heightened patrols and enhanced surveillance across Kenya’s transport corridors in the wake of this attempted smuggling.
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