“The driver did not stop despite the tire burst until he reached the nearest police post because he feared for the worst,” Mr Oronyi said.
The administrator said security agencies have since been deployed in the area to search for those who may have planted the explosive.
He said security agencies are doing everything to address the increasing cases of planting of explosives on the newly tarmacked Mandera-Rhamu-Elwak road.
“We are increasing our security patrols to flush out the usual suspects. I urge road users to continue with their businesses because the situation is under control,” he said.
TARGETS
A resident who declined to be identified revealed that explosives are planted on the tarmacked road targeting police vehicles escorting buses.
“The KPLC vehicle was unlucky because no other vehicle, especially the police, had used the road. Suspects are targeting any government owned vehicle,” he said.
He said the militants operating in the area target civilian vehicles to be used in their operations inside Somalia.
“I cannot tell exactly the motive behind the morning incident but in most cases our officers are the targets of roadside explosives,” said Mr Oronyi.
In 2017, Kenya Power lost a vehicle to Al-Shabaab militants in Elwak town and it has never been recovered.
Two armed militants seized the vehicle as it left the Elwak solar power plant and drove it towards Somalia after throwing out the driver.
