Nairobi — An explosion yesterday rocked Nairobi killing one person and leaving 39 others injured. The blast which went off at 8.15am at the busy bus stop located near the Ambassadeur Hotel threw the city into a panic during the morning rush hour.

Commuters and pedestrians fled from the scene in all directions as ambulances and police rushed in to rescue victims.

There was pandemonium as a black smoke engulfed the area along Moi Avenue. The blast caught many city residents headed to work unawares as sirens filled the air.

The dead man's body was dismembered.

Within a radius of 10 metres, there were fresh blood stains, shattered glass, shredded clothes and torn pieces of paper from a religious book.

Groan in pain

The injured lay on the ground groaning in pain while others were appealing for assistance as they lay prostrate.

A few metres from the body, there was a black briefcase and pieces of cloth, which were later taken away by the police.

More than five victims lay bleeding on the ground, with some covered with clothes. The injured were taken to Kenyatta National and Nairobi hospitals by a combined force of the Kenya Red Cross Society, City Council and St John's Ambulance. Thirty three were being treated at KNH, while four were admitted to Nairobi Hospital. Nine were treated and discharged. Most of those injured had their clothes shredded.

A taxi driver was arrested at the scene for dropping two men who were said to have been carrying the explosives.

About 50 metres away from the scene, a Citi Hopper Bus was parked with the passenger windscreen shattered by the deafening explosion.

The driver, Mr George Mari, said he heard a loud explosion, which shook the bus as he was reversing the vehicle.

He was asked by screaming passengers to drive away. He was headed to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

"I was reversing the bus when I heard an explosion just two metres away from the bus," a frightened Mr Mari said.

He added: "Passengers screamed saying we were going to die and I sped off to this place. I am not sure whether they wanted to board the bus."

There were different accounts from witnesses on what happened.

Another witness, Mr Peter Wakau, said he saw three people with a bag and briefcase attempt to enter the bus, but it was full.

"One of them in a khaki jacket with many pockets came near a shoe-shiner and asked if he had polish for his brown shoes, but the trader said he did not have it," Mr Wakau said.

"Within moments he moved to another and I heard an explosion he had left a bag near the first shoe-shiner."

"I think a sweeper outside the hotel was the person dismembered," said the witness.

A businessman at the City Centre Stalls Limited said he saw two men attempt to board the bus that was headed to the airport, but it was full.

He said: "They were going to board the bus, but they were told it was full. So when they alighted a few metres away I heard an explosion."

The explosion also destroyed the vehicle's ticket dispenser and shredded the conductor's uniform.

Another witness, Ms Esther Njeri, 21, said she saw two men who were carrying a briefcase and a bag headed to the City Gate Restaurant. "I was with my friends and we were going to have tea at the hotel when we saw one of the men leave a bag near the entrance."

"Before we could comprehend what was happening, we had an explosion and my friends fell flat on the ground I lost my senses for a moment," a frightened Ms Njeri said.

Avoid speculation

She continued: "I saw one of the guys retreating from the scene then he ran away suspiciously."

Another witness who declined to be named, said the two men disembarked from a taxi with the brief case and a bag.

"There were two men walking together. One was carrying a bag. There was an explosion, one guy was blown up, the other one fell down next to him."

Police commissioner Hussein Ali said police would investigate the cause of the blast and advised journalists to avoid speculation.