48 AK-47 rounds found hidden inside meat on Dadaab-Nairobi bus

A routine security check on a passenger bus travelling from Dadaab to Nairobi has uncovered 48 live rounds of ammunition concealed inside pieces of meat in Kanyonyoo, Kitui County.

The discovery has left detectives trying to answer a more important question: who packed the ammunition, who owned it and who was supposed to receive it?

The rounds were found on Thursday, September 24, when a multi-agency security team stopped a Zafanana Coach operated by Northern Cruz Sacco along the Thika-Garissa Highway.

The bus was travelling towards Nairobi when officers began a search of the vehicle.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), officers found a blue woven carrier bag on an overhead luggage rack serving passengers seated around positions 23, 24 and 25.

Inside was what appeared to be an ordinary consignment of meat.

A closer search, however, uncovered a black nylon package concealed inside the meat. It contained 48 rounds of 7.62×39mm ammunition, a calibre compatible with AK-47 assault rifles.

The DCI described the discovery as part of a routine security operation.

Driver and turnboy arrested

The discovery led to the arrest of the bus driver, Samuel Ngui Munyithya, and turnboy Justus Muatha Kiola, according to police and multiple reports.

The two were taken to Kanyonyoo Police Station and remain in custody as detectives investigate the consignment.

The DCI said the pair could not account for the suspicious package or identify its owner.

That, however, does not by itself establish that they knew the ammunition was on the bus or were involved in transporting it deliberately.

That is now one of the questions investigators must establish.

The bus has also been detained, while the ammunition has been secured as an exhibit.

Where was the ammunition going?

Detectives are now tracing the consignment from its source to its intended destination.

They will also need to establish how the bag got onto the bus and whether it belonged to a passenger or was placed among the luggage without the crew's knowledge.

The location of the discovery is significant from a security perspective.

Kanyonyoo sits along the Thika-Garissa Highway, an important road linking Nairobi with Garissa and the wider north-eastern region.

The corridor is routinely used by passenger and commercial vehicles, making checks at strategic points an important part of efforts to detect the movement of prohibited goods.

Thursday's recovery shows why such inspections can produce unexpected findings even on ordinary passenger journeys.

Another ammunition recovery on the same corridor

The latest seizure is not the first ammunition recovery reported in the Kanyonyoo area.

In May 2026, the DCI reported recovering 116 rounds of 7.62×39mm ammunition, 19 rounds of 7.62×51mm G3 ammunition and two empty AK-47 magazines from a passenger bus during a security operation at Kanyonyoo.

The earlier recovery and Thursday's seizure are separate investigations. There is no indication from authorities that the two incidents are connected.

Investigation continues

For now, the 48 rounds remain an exhibit as detectives work to establish their origin and intended destination.

The investigation will also determine whether the two arrested crew members had any knowledge of the ammunition.

Police have not reported any charges against them in connection with the latest recovery.

The DCI has urged members of the public to report information that could help prevent the illegal movement of firearms and ammunition.

Information can be provided anonymously through the DCI toll-free line 0800 722 203 or WhatsApp number 0709 570 000.

The case now moves beyond the unusual concealment method. The central question for investigators is who put the ammunition on the bus — and who was waiting for it at the other end.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.