The Gongo La Mboto bomb blast that caused panic, fear, great horror and sorrow to the people around.

ON 16th of February 2011 is a day which cannot be forgotten easily by residents of Gongo la Mboto and other suburbs surrounding the area of it. A moment of panic and sorrow struck the atmosphere that night as most people were preparing to calm down in their sitting rooms to hear news of the day from their television sets, while others were getting prepared for the last meals of the day which they had already prepared and couldn’t eat. But all of a sudden the atmosphere was struck and polluted by the so-called bomb smokes as a result of explosions which occurred from their amoury where they had been kept in a nearby military camp NO: KJ511. A continuous explosions caused panic and horror that made almost everybody to flee in all directions from their residences to unknown destinations, but it was all meant to find a safe place in order to save their lives. Many people were injured while running away and about 22 people lost their lives. Most people took to their heels as far as National stadium 15 kilometers away from the area where they slept


People looking in disbelief a devastated house of their neinghbour that belonged to one person known by many as ‘baba Assu’ at Kipunguni “B” in Markaz area in Gongo la Mboto division, the area was among the destroyed areas by the recent bomb blast that rocked the air.

Bomb explosions that caused panic and fear

I was among the affected people in the area, I am residing close to the areas which in one way of another were wrecked havoc by these bombs. It was around 20:15 when I had just come from taking shower from the bathroom and was getting prepared to sit down watching news bulleting from my Television set as a normal routine, when I had a loud blast that, made me to panic. I wondered what was it as I looked to the direction from where it sounded. I immediately knew it was a bomb which had blasted or if not so, might have been set to destroy the enemy at such unlikely time. The military camp is located just about 2 kilometers away from the area. As people began to move in panic, there were a series of other bombs blasting one after the other. We could see a glittering light in the air coming from the military direction then followed by a loud blast that caused fear.


A young boy looking at a missile that had missed fire and fell over the electric transmission lines and cut down the wires from the electric poles. Several of them were picked around the area by the military task force later. About 1,120 pieces of bombs were picked from the mostly devastated areas.

Bomb explosions that caused panic and fear

Almost everybody around fled while the fearless ones took refuge near their houses and laid down prostrate on the ground leaving behind everything in their unlocked houses. As I was strolling slowly around with unbelievable eyes, I heard the voice of someone who was urging the fleeing people who by then were running in great pursuit “don’t run, just lie down” the voice went on saying severally to the fleeing group of people who passed along his house. It was Mzee Masatu Mfungo, a retired military officer who served the military for the last 35 years. Major Masatu was once an in-charge officer at the military camp in early 1980s before his retirement from the force in 2005. Because of his long experience in the military force and the use of these bombs, therefore he is very much familiar with the camp and its surrounding. People obeyed him and I also joined the group who at last resort to gather in front of his house in a large compound whereby we all lied down until the blasts subsided.


The photo story tells itself, one shows a missile that missed direction and another one two bothers peeps through the window of their devastated house that morning.

Bomb explosions that caused panic and fear

Some, but few houses around my area were completely destroyed while others got a wall crack which occurred as a result of large sounds emanating from the blasts which according to military offers were BM, Rocket rounger and other types that could not be defined immediately. Children got lost and were unfound after two to four days. When all was quite, people started to return back to their houses which were left unlocked by their owners. As I was seated in my house, one neighbour came as he was passing by going to his house. He greeted me as a way to know my condition and told him all was well. Then I joined him to move around to see what had happened to other neighbours. We found none had his/her house destroyed other than one neighbour whom we all know by his son’s name “Baba Assu” had his house destroyed completely. Now his family is sustained under two tents which were provided by the Disaster Management team from the Prime Minister’s office. About 79 families are currently living under the tents as they wait for the government to rebuild their destroyed houses.

They later walked around pondering over what to do after this aftermaths.

Bomb explosions that caused panic and fear

The next day news about the bombs began to spread about, death tolls and the injured were known later. I was telephoned in the afternoon by someone, a close relative of mine who informed about the tragic deaths of a fellow villager who had lost his wife and two children, and another one who lost a daughter. So in total were four which later were transported to their ancestral home for burial. This is Jacob Nyanjiego who for this incident had a great sorrow for that. THE Lord has given and the Lord has taken, so says the Bible. But this seemed to be too much for Mr Jacob Nyajiego (49) who lost his wife as well as two daughters. It was all grief on 20th day of February, three days after the bomb explosions at the home of Mr Nyajiego at Mzambarauni area, where hundreds of mourners turned up to pay last respects to their departed neighbours.


On the next day, reports by the media alerted people around that other bombs would explode again, so because of this news most people vacated their homes and took refuge to unknown destinations. The daladala found it a booming business as some other fleeing passengers went on board their buses.

Bomb explosions that caused panic and fear

Three caskets carrying the remains of Rose Nyajiego (34) as well as Clementina (3) and Stellah (3 months) were placed before the crowd of grief-stricken mourners, who braced scorching sun to follow up a Requiem Mass said by Ukonga’s Roman Catholic Parish Priest, Father Stephano Nyelawila. The mood was sombre, with some mourners, mostly women breaking down in tears after paying their last respects to the deceased. The three family members died after a concrete slab fell on them when one of the bombs hit a house they had run to for safety. During the burial ceremony, Mr Nyajiego was apparent the saddest man, keeping his head down throughout the burial ceremony, much as he appeared composed. I observed hundreds of mourners at the funeral, including relatives, neighbours, leaders of political parties as well as journalists among others who turned up to cover the event as it was declared to be a national mourning day for the Gongo La Mboto bomb explosions victims.


A woman looking at a pit nearby her house which was dug by a flying bomb that landed on the ground. The bomb was later on retrieved by the military task force group.

Bomb explosions that caused panic and fear

And, few metres from Mr Nyajiego’s home, there was also another funeral for Ms Neema James (14), who was the former’s niece. According to the mourners, on the fateful night, Ms Rose had decided to flee from her home with her daughters, amid the flying bombs. Sensing that they could no longer run away from the missiles, they took refuge at a nearby house. But while waiting for another chance to run, a bomb ripped off the house and shattered it to the ground. Unfortunately, Neema was with her aunt, the concrete slab fell, killing all of them.


Neighbours, friends and relatives who turned up at Jacob Nyajiego’s house to mourn for his deceased wife and two children who perished when a concrete slab fell on them in a house they had taken refuge while running away from the flying bombs. The later photos shows father Stephano Nyelawila conducting a requiem mass for the deceased.