PHOTO | WILLIAM OERI Detectives comb the scene of the blast in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on December 7, 2012 where five people were killed. Among the injured was Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan. NATION MEDIA GROUP
By Zahra Rashid
Saturday, December 08, 2012
Nairobi, Kenya (HOL) - Five people have succumbed to injuries they suffered as a result of Friday night's blast in Eastleigh leaving at least nine people admitted in Nairobi area hospitals ranging from critical to stable condition.
Among the nine victims is the Kamukunji MP Mr Yusuf Hassan who suffered a fractured leg after a grenade was thrown in a Hidaya Mosque in Eastleigh's Jam street area. He was believed to be the target in the attack.
The MP was said to have been holding a discussion with his constituents after the evening prayers, before the attack and was taken to the Aga Khan Hospital.
The scene of the blast was littered with blood and belongings of the victims injured and those who escaped death and injuries.
The blast had sparked violent protest, with rowdy youth’s barricaded roads burning tires forcing the police and the GSU personnel to fire rounds in the air to disperse the crowd.
The angry protestors stated that they wanted to flush out known terrorists who have been operating in the area.
Even so, more police have been deployed to the area that has become notorious with grenade and other violent attacks in recent weeks.
The resident stated that the government has been reluctant in finding the culprits and suspects behind the attacks making the area unsafe for the traders and residents.
Speaking to Hiiraan Online, Mr. Mohamed Abdikadir said that the government needs to launch a major operation to curb terror attacks within the country without targeting a certain community.
“We urge the government to launch a major operation against the attacks without pinpointing on any community or religious sect to curb the attacks because so many innocent people are losing their lives to what can be controlled,” Said Mr Abdikadir angrily.
He concluded that the series of attacks in the business area is already negatively impacting on trade and all other activities going on in Eastleigh, one of the largest commercial sections in the country.
“We the traders are losing out because business has been going down as the number of attacks increase on the area. We fear that we will loss the only source of livelihood for the thousands of Kenyans carrying on business in Eastleigh,” He said
The attack comes just two days after another blast that killed one person injuring six others near a scrap metal store in Nairobi’s “California” estate.
It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion, but witnesses claimed a gas cylinder exploded, injuring those who were walking home.
After the Tuesday attack the Nairobi area police boss Mr. Moses Ombati told journalists that the police were yet to establish the cause of the blast.
A month ago, Eastleigh suffered an explosion when an Implosive Explosive Device (IED) that had been abandoned in a public bus killing 10 passengers.