James Ratemo
24 July 2007
Nairobi — Tougher measures to curb proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country have been proposed.
Stakeholders have called for the revision of the Firearms Act to ensure offenders are denied bail and harsher penalties for those who possess guns illegally.
Opening a two-day National and Provincial Firearms Officers sensitisation workshop in Nairobi on Monday, Director of Police Operations, Mr David Kimaiyo, said criminal incidences involving firearms still persisted "even after enhancing surveillance along our borders with troubled neighbours to stem the vice".
Representing the Commissioner of Police, Kimaiyo said Kenya would enhance the fight against illicit circulation of guns, which has also taken a worrying trend in many countries of the world.
"Small arms kill more than 500,000 people every year. Many thousands are maimed, tortured or forced to flee their homes. The uncontrolled proliferation of small arms fuels human conflict and intensifies poverty," Kimaiyo said.
He cited the Firearms Act, which provides for lenient penalties and granting of bail to offenders.
"The penalties provided for under the Firearms Act are not deterrent enough to dissuade offenders," he said.
Spearheaded by the Regional Centre on Small Arms (Recsa), the workshop, ending on Tuesday, brings together officers from the military, police, intelligence, Customs, border control, wildlife, forestry and other relevant agencies responsible for the licensing, registration, control and management of such weapons.
Recsa Executive Secretary, Mr Francis Sang, noted that member countries had weak laws.
"They should be reviewed and harmonised to attain minimum standards," he said.
The workshop aims to empower participants on the provisions of Nairobi Protocol and the best practice guidelines for its implementation on stockpile management, marking, tracing, brokering, record keeping, disposal and transit of small arms and light weapons.
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