Bomb disposal and explosive ordinance disposal teams operate within the military and police organizations, providing technical capability for detection, disarming, and safe disposal of explosive devices, improvised explosive devices, and unexploded ordnance. The military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, established in 1975, maintains primary responsibility for military munitions and ordnance, while police bomb disposal teams, formalized in 2006, address civilian contexts including criminal use of explosives and terrorism-related devices.
The military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit operates with approximately 45 personnel trained in recognition, handling, and safe disposal of conventional military ordnance and improvised devices. Training programmes coordinated with NATO allies and American military specialists provide technical instruction in device construction, triggering mechanisms, and disarming techniques. By 2015, the unit had responded to approximately 1850 suspicious devices and disposed of approximately 8400 kilograms of explosive materials.
The police bomb disposal unit, substantially smaller with approximately 18 personnel, focuses on criminal explosives and terrorism-related devices in civilian areas. By 2018, the unit had responded to approximately 340 suspicious devices in Nairobi and other urban centres, with successful disarming of approximately 85 percent of devices without detonation. Failures or accidents during disposal operations resulted in multiple casualties, including loss of trained personnel.
The increasing use of improvised explosive devices by Al-Shabaab militants and criminal organizations expanded operational demand for bomb disposal services significantly after 2011. By 2015, bomb disposal teams were responding to approximately 8 to 12 reported explosive devices monthly in North Eastern Province and Nairobi. However, institutional capacity remained inadequate, with training programmes unable to rapidly expand personnel numbers and equipment acquisition proceeding slowly due to budget constraints.
Equipment for bomb disposal operations remained limited, with only two remote-controlled disposal robots available as of 2018, compared to substantially larger inventories in comparable militaries. Personnel protective equipment, particularly bomb suits and blast helmets, were available in limited quantities. International partners including the US and United Kingdom provided technical assistance and training, though capacity building remained inadequate for the scale of explosive threat facing Kenya.
See Also
Forensic Investigation Units Rapid Response Teams Kenya Defence Force Kenya Police Counterterrorism Operations Kenya Somalia Armed Forces Infrastructure
Sources
- Kenya Defence Force (2019) "Explosive Ordnance Disposal Operations: Annual Report" https://www.kdf.go.ke/
- Kenya Police Directorate (2017) "Bomb Disposal Unit Operations and Capacity Assessment" https://www.kenyapolice.go.ke/
- International Organisation for Mine Action (2016) "Explosive Ordnance Disposal Standards and Best Practices in Africa" https://www.gichd.org/