First Alien Objects in Africa?

First Alien Objects in Africa?: The Two Strange Objects That Fell in Africa

In the past few months, Africa has experienced two unusual events that had people talking from villages to social media. Strange metallic objects fell from the sky — one in Kenya, and another in Malawi. These incidents sparked curiosity, confusion, and plenty of theories. But beyond the noise, there’s a serious conversation happening about space debris and how it’s starting to affect regions that normally don’t expect anything falling from orbit.

Here’s what happened, and why it matters

1. The Malawi Mystery — Karonga District (April 2025)

 

Early April 2025 became a wild week for people in Malimbalimba Village, Karonga. Villagers heard a loud blast — the kind that instantly makes you look at the sky and wonder if something exploded. When they reached the area, they found a partially burnt metallic object that had fallen from above.

Police, together with bomb experts, moved in quickly. After running tests, they confirmed three things:

• It wasn’t a bomb

• It wasn’t radioactive

• It wasn’t from any known local activity

Some officials suggested it could be space debris, possibly part of a satellite. That explanation makes sense, but the incident took a confusing turn when locals said the object disappeared before a full investigation could happen. That left more questions than answers.

Whether it was removed officially or someone took it, we still don’t know. And that mystery is exactly why the Malawi incident got so much attention. 

 

2. The Kenya Incident — Makueni County (December 2024)

Just a few months before Malawi’s case, something even bigger fell in Mukuku Village, Makueni County, Kenya.

On December 30, 2024, residents heard a massive bang and saw something bright moving across the sky. When authorities arrived, they discovered a huge 2.5-meter-wide metallic ring, weighing about 500 kg.

This wasn’t a small object — it was something you’d expect to see in a space documentary, not lying in a Kenyan village.

The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) examined it and concluded that the ring was most likely a rocket separation ring, basically a piece of a rocket that breaks off during launch and later falls back to Earth. They retrieved it for further analysis and also issued public warnings for people not to touch space debris.

This incident turned into a major talking point because it was the first time such a large object had fallen in Kenya with clear public visibility.  

So What’s Going On? Space Debris.

Even though these two events happened months apart, they point to the same problem — space junk.

Right now, thousands of old rockets, satellites, and fragments are orbiting Earth. Eventually, some of them fall back. Most of the time they burn up in the atmosphere, but sometimes big pieces survive and land in random places.

For years, most of these re-entries happened over oceans or uninhabited areas. But with more space activity from both governments and private companies, the risk is increasing globally.

Now Africa is experiencing it firsthand. 

 

 Why These Incidents Matter

These events might look isolated, but they raise real concerns:

• Public safety: falling debris can injure people or damage property

• Health risks: some debris may contain hazardous materials

• Accountability: someone owns that rocket or satellite — but who pays for the impact?

• Preparedness: African governments need better monitoring systems

At the same time, these stories remind us how connected Africa is becoming to global space activity. What happens far above the atmosphere can literally land in our villages.

Final Thoughts

The incidents in Kenya and Malawi show us that the sky isn’t as quiet as we thought. Whether it’s satellite parts, rocket rings, or other debris, Africa is now part of the global conversation about space safety.

Two strange objects may have fallen — one huge and one mysterious — but they share one message:
Space is getting crowded, and we need to pay attention.