NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 14 – In line with the African Union’s September Amnesty month for the surrender of illicitly held arms, Kenya last year recovered over 5,000 illicit Arms and a large cache of ammunition that were subsequently destroyed during an elaborate event dubbed, “Flame of permanent Destruction” presided over by President Uhuru Kenyatta in June.
Commemorating this year’s event, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i announced that Kenya will continue to be at the forefront of battling the illegal sale and possession of firearms in a bid to promote peace and security.
As such, Matiang’i revealed that in order for the cause to become fruitful, stakeholders including Government Agencies, NGO’s, Civil Societies and even political leaders need to ensure prevention, reduction, and possible eradication of illicit small arms and light weapons across Africa.
“I have therefore directed the National Police Service and the Regional Commissioners to coordinate and take up the voluntary surrender activities accordingly. Members of the public have an obligation to corporate with the security agencies in the course of the nationwide activity,” said Matiang’i.
The Interior Minister said that the surrender of illegal firearms in the hands of civilians is the only way to end the ravages brought about by such weapons in the country.
Recently Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natremebeya revealed that bandits in Laikipia where 10 people have been killed among them security officers are in possession of ‘heavy’ firearms.
“The guns they are using are M-16, theses guns are normally in the hands of the foreign troops (those doing their training in the nearby area )how they end up in the hands of civilians we do not know. Kenya police are assigned to used AK-47 and G-3 rifles…M-16 is not a police issue firearm…where are they coming from?” sad Natembeya.
In 2013, at the African Union’s fifth anniversary, African states committed themselves towards, “silencing the guns Africa by the year 2020” in aid to achieve a conflict-free Africa to build sustainable peace and development in the continent.
“We recall that African leaders had made the commitment for peace becoming a reality for all ending civil wars and conflicts, human rights violations, humanitarian disasters, and genocides. The project has since been transformed into a flagship initiative for the past ten years’ implementation plan of agenda 2063. Unfortunately due to dismal results in the planned scheme of silencing the guns by 2020, this was not achieved and the AU has extended the theme to 2030,” said Matiang’i.
The theme is in alignment with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, in particular, target 16.4 on the significant reduction of illicit arms flow.
In 2016, the African Union prepared a master road map of practical steps to silence the guns in Africa by the year 2030.
In Kenya, It has always been the position of the government not to negotiate with criminal entities that threaten the peace and security of the country.
This is a cardinal rule that the security agencies have time and again insisted on, is what separates the law-abiding from those that seek to violate the very fabric that glues a nation guided by law.
In June, albeit temporarily, the government appeared to be extending an olive branch to criminals, particularly those said to be in the business of manufacturing or assembling illegal firearms being sold within the Kenyan borders to wreak havoc and promote lawlessness.
President Uhuru Kenyatta during the exercise to destroy 5,144 illegal firearms and pieces of assorted ammunition at the Regional Police Training Centre in Ngong, Kajiado county, called on the ‘self-taught’ gun-makers to abandon their lives in crime and use their ‘gifts’ to serve their country and earn an honorable living.
“Today, I want to make an offer, Kenya has now begun making our own small arms and light weapons and for you out there who are engaged in making these guns for criminals, come let us give you a steady job to make legal weapons. Help grow our economy and defend our country,” said President Kenyatta on June 9.
The firearms that were destroyed at an event attended by the country’s top security personnel were recovered in 2020.
The firearms, police revealed were predominantly being used in some of the country’s violent areas such as the cattle-rustling prone north while others were sold to gangs across major urban centers.
“An illegal gun makes you less safe, not more. An illegal gun, no matter your good intentions, makes you a criminal and liable to face the full force of the law,” said Kenyatta.
The president also extended amnesty to individuals in possession of illegal firearms, directing them to surrender them to the nearest authority.
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