'No threat to public health': Gov't says on mysterious space object that landed in Makueni

The government has come out to allay health fears surrounding the mysterious space object that fell at Makuku Village in Makueni County on Monday, December 30, 2024.

Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, in a statement on Saturday, assured the locals and the public that an assessment by multi-agency teams on the ground had established that the metal debris posed no immediate health risks to the people.

PS Muthoni urged the residents to exercise caution while approaching the area or handling surrounding materials, further urging them to report any incident.

“While preliminary assessments suggest no immediate threat to public health, the Ministry of Health advises the public to avoid the area where the object was found and refrain from handling any unknown materials. Communities are encouraged to report any health concerns or unusual environmental changes to local health authorities,” she stated.

The PS revealed that investigations were still ongoing to establish the source of the metallic object that landed measuring approximately 2.5 metres in diameter and weighing about 500 kg, which has since been identified as a ‘separation from a rocket’.

The ministry underscored that it was working with technical teams from the Kenya Space Agency (KSA), Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) and Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) to shed more light on the occurrence.

The mysterious object, which eyewitnesses said was heard making a loud bang several kilometres away, fell from the sky on Monday, driving the locals into a frenzy of panic.

No injuries or casualties were reported even after the Kenya Space Agency (KSA) retrieved the object the following day.

KSA after visiting the site said, "This is an isolated case, which the Agency will investigate and address using the established framework under the International Space law."

"The Agency wishes to thank the local residents of Mukuku village for their prompt action in reporting the incident to the authorities and for their cooperation in ensuring public safety."