The Kenyan Government, through the Firearms Licensing Board, has confiscated 340 firearms, 5,371 bullets and consequently revoked 36 licenses improperly issued to civilian firearms holders.
The Cabinet Secretary in charge of Interior and Coordination of National Government Fred Matiang’i revealed that some of the confiscated weapons are prohibited under the laws of Kenya, and they include semiautomatic guns and large-capacity magazines designed for the military.
The Firearms Licensing Board announced last year that it was conducting a vetting exercise of all civilian gun holders. The exercise began on December 15 2018 and will end on March 7, 2019.
The 90-day moratorium issued by the Government expires on March 7, 2019, for Nairobi, but the exercise will continue in other regions for 11 more days until March 18, 2019. The vetting process involves psychiatric assessment by a Government psychologist, criminal record checks, and ballistic testing of the weapon(s) and ammunition by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The Board is issuing vetted gun owners with new smart licenses and concurrently working towards establishing a centralized Electronic Register of all private citizens holding firearms in the country.
He added that firearms owners must appear in person before the Board and avail their weapons and certificates for review without fail. He also urged members of the public to report illegal weapons, the holders, and even unscrupulous dealers who have been funneling guns to the hands of criminals.