South Africa
Gun Amnesty Road Show Aims to Mop Up Illegal South African Firearms
BuaNews (Tshwane)
9 March 2010
MORETELE, South Africa -- The North West Department of Public Safety has kicked off the 2010 Firearms Amnesty roadshow in the Moretele Local Municipality. Public Safety spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele said the campaign sought to amplify the call for residents to surrender illegal firearms and ammunition without being arrested before the April 11 deadline. The call came after Public Safety MEC Howard Yawa on Friday launched the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Police Abandon 'Crude' AK-47 Assault Rifles for Pistols in Kampala
Observer (Kampala)
7 March 2010
Mean looking AK-47 toting Police constables will soon disappear from the streets as the force moves to introduce sidearm pistols, the universally accepted weapons in modern policing. The Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, told a press conference at the Police Headquarters in Kampala on Friday that the change of weapons was part of a broader plan to transform the Police from a force into a service. "We... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tanzania
Machine Gun Gang Invade Tanzanian Wedding Party, Kill 5, Steal Cattle
Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
6 March 2010
TERIME, Tanzania -- A wedding party was thrown into disarray in Tarime district on Thursday night, when armed gangsters stormed a homestead and shot dead five people. Six other people, including two children, were seriously injured in the attack that rocked Kimusi village, some 40 kilometres from Tarime Township. However, the bride and bridegroom, whose big day had started on a brighter note, with hundreds of their relatives... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Armed Groups Fight with Home Made Guns, AK-47s in Nigeria Gang War
Daily Independent (Lagos)
2 March 2010
ENUGU/ABAKALIKI, Nigeria -- Residents are now counting their losses after the ceasefire that followed Ezza/Ezzilo communal clash in Ebonyi State, while security forces have started recovering arms. Though, the number of casualties and quantum of material losses are still not clear, the police command admits that much had been lost. The hostilities ceased shortly after Governor Martin Elechi in the company of the Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Highway Robbery Gang Arrested with 16 Rifles, AK-47s in Nigeria
Vanguard (Lagos)
1 March 2010
ASABA, Nigeria -- Men of the Delta state police command have arrested a five-man gang along Patani/Ughelli road with dynamites and AK-47 rifles. State police command's spokesman, Mr. Charles Muka who confirmed the incident said that policemen on patrol duty successfully dislodged the gang before they could strike. According to him, "police command has recovered 16 assorted rifles seized from five members of the gang terrorizing... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Nigerian Bird Hunter Says He Shot, Killed 15yr-old Boy by Accident
Daily Independent (Lagos)
1 March 2010
LAGOS -- Kamilu Kamoru, a peasant farmer, had set out to harvest tubers of yam for his family on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Armed with a Dane gun and a cutlass, he rode on his Suzuki motorcycle and had hardly settled down in his farmland situated at Afowowa, Isale Oyo, Oyo Town, Oyo State, when he sighted scores of guinea fowls feeding on his maize crops. "Immediately, I sighted the birds, I was happy, hoping that I would... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Peaceful Disarmament 'Failed,' Uganda Army Goes for Karimojong Guns
New Vision (Kampala)
28 February 2010
KAMPALA, Uganda -- Karimojong warriors who do not voluntarily surrender their guns risk being court-martialled, the Government has warned. Information minister Kabakumba Masiko said about 70 warriors who refused to surrender their guns had been tried in the Court Martial. "The rustlers will be dealt with firmly and decisively and cattle rustling will be a thing of the past," she told a media briefing at the Kampala Media... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Thousands of Guns, Ammunition Surrendered in South African Amnesty
BuaNews (Tshwane)
26 February 2010
PRETORIA, South Africa -- Over 6 300 firearms and more than 90 000 rounds of ammunition have been surrendered to the South African Police Service to date. This is in line with the Ministerial Amnesty which expires on 11 April this year. Under the amnesty, anyone who has an illegal or unregistered gun, ammunition or firearm parts can hand them in without being prosecuted. The theme is "Together we can do more against crime.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Kampala Police Mark 4,300 Firearms, Hope to Trace Cops Renting Guns
Monitor (Kampala)
24 February 2010
KAMPALA -- All firearms belonging to the police have been marked to curb the misuse of guns by security officers. The Director of Police Operations, Mr Francis Rwego, said the exercise will bring to book police officers who have been engaging in armed robberies and hiring out guns to suspected criminals. "There have been incidences in the past where some police officers were engaged in criminal acts like robbery. We shall now be... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Riot Police Lose 60 More Guns, 48,000 Bullets to Thieves
Beeld (South Africa)
23 February 2010
JOHANNESBURG - More than 60 firearms and approximately 50 000 rounds of ammunition have presumably been stolen from a specialised police unit in Mpumalanga. The weapons were part of the arsenal of the police's former riot unit which had been stationed in Hazyview. The unit was closed in 2007 after a decision by Jackie Selebi, former police commissioner, to close all specialist units. The theft of (some of) the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Pastoralists Fear Brutality, Torture as Kenyan Police Come for Their Guns
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
22 February 2010
NAIROBI -- Pastoral communities in northern Kenya are apprehensive over the disarmament expected to start any time now. A 70-day amnesty to surrender illegal arms by the pastoralists lapsed at the weekend, with 1,141 guns and 14,980 bullets having been handed over. The government has also repossessed more than 500 guns initially issued to home guards in the region. This will ensure no one will be having a government-issued... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Soldier Shoots, Kills Wife, Then Himself in Kampala Domestic Dispute
New Vision (Kampala)
22 February 2010
KAMPALA -- A UPDF soldier has shot his wife dead and later shot himself dead. The tragic incident occurred at around 6am this morning at Mbuya a Kampala suburb. Private James Agaba attached to Mbuya military headquarters shot his wife only identified as Deborah 6 times before turning the gun to himself. Neighbours heard several bullets in the morning shortly after the soldier returned from his night duty. ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
66,000 Guns Destroyed in Uganda's 3-year Firearm Seizure Campaign
New Vision (Kampala)
21 February 2010
KAMPALA -- The Uganda National Focal Point (NFP) on small arms and light weapons has destroyed ammunition in an effort to combat the increase of small arms in the country. Among those destroyed were 300 explosives, 800 grenade canisters, 38 boxes of gun powder, 15 boxes of propellant charges, 100 tear gas canisters, 4,000 small ammunitions and 1,500 artillery rounds, some dating back to 1963. The arms were destroyed recently... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Karamoja Elder Betrayed by Gun Amnesty, Uganda Army 'Cattle Rustlers'
Monitor (Kampala)
21 February 2010
He has dedicated his life to peace, worked closely with the UPDF to disarm his clansmen and once secured surrender of 200 illegal guns in a day. Today, Mzee Aramutori Lokodo is an angry elder, temporary confined by the government at a top Kampala Hotel, after soldiers allegedly grabbed all his 350 cattle last month. He spoke to Sunday Monitor's Tabu Butagira (through an interpreter) about how the army has become what he called a "cattle-rustling... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Police Stop Car, Seize 16 Locally Made Guns, Arrest Driver in Nigeria
Leadership (Abuja)
20 February 2010
LAFIA, Nigeria -- The Nasarawa State Police command on Thursday intercepted, 16 local made rifles along Akwanga/Jos road en route from Cross River State to Jos, the Plateau State capital. Briefing newsmen in Lafia, the state police commissioner, CP Ephraim Amakulor, said that the rifles were stuffed in the door and boot mat in a Toyota Saloon car intercepted along Akwanga roundabout during the police stop and search operation. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia
Domestic Abuse Shootings Bring Namibia Closer to Tough Gun Control
Namibian (Windhoek)
15 February 2010
The issuing of firearm licences should be stricter, as there have been several reports of women being shot by their boyfriends or husbands, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Libertina Amathila said in Parliament on Thursday. Speaking on the debate on the draft defence policy tabled by Defence Minister Charles Namoloh, Amathila said: "Weapons [licences] are issued easily to the public, are people able to handle guns? Women are shot by their... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Uganda Army Commander Kills Wife, Self in 'Domestic Violence' Shooting
Monitor (Kampala)
15 February 2010
St. Valentine's Day, observed to celebrate love, ironically turned tragic in Kisoro District after a UPDF commander shot his wife dead before turning the gun on himself. Lt. David Okumu, 45, the Busanza detach commander, allegedly became furious after his wife, Teddy Akuru, reportedly received a romantic short text message (SMS) on her mobile phone which he suspected was from another lover. But the police and army remained... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africans Urged Again to Give Up Illegal Guns in Years-long Amnesty
BuaNews (Tshwane)
10 February 2010
NELSPRUIT, South Africa -- Mpumalanga community safety MEC Sibongile Manana has urged the public to take advantage of the National Firearm Amnesty and hand in their unlicensed firearms. Illegal firearms can be handed in at the nearest police station, without the handler fearing arrest if the weapon was not used to commit a crime. The amnesty period runs from January 11 to April 11. A similar campaign in 2005 resulted in... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenyan TV Crew Buy AK-47 in Turkana, Easily Smuggle It Into Nairobi
Standard (Nairobi)
9 February 2010
Buying a gun and transporting the loaded weapon past numerous police checks without detection has never been that easy. This is what KTN crew proved. Reporters and a cameraman were on assignment in Turkana last week when they managed to not only buy an AK-47 rifle and bullets, but also transport it to Nairobi. The reporters said the weapon was not discovered despite checks on the road from Turkana to Nairobi. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Security Firm Quickly Surrenders More Unlicensed Guns in Zimbabwe
Herald (Zimbabwe)
9 February 2010
HARARE -- Midsec Security Company, which was last month slapped with a US$700 fine for failing to renew 19 service firearms licences, has surrendered nine more unlicenced guns to Kadoma Police Station for investigations. Early last month, the security company was arraigned before the Kadoma Magistrates Courts for failing to renew licences for 19 service weapons and got away with a fine for breaking the Firearms Act. Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Estimates 1,077 Illegal Guns Still in Hands of Karimojong
New Vision (Kampala)
8 February 2010
KAMPALA -- About 1,077 guns are still in the hands of the Karimojong, the UPDF 3rd division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, has said. He added that the army had collected 29,923â-guns in the last eight years of the disarmament exercise in Karamoja. "Very soon we shall declare Karamoja free from illegal guns. Then we can embark on integrated development and total pacification of the sub-region," Kankiriho said. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Rash of Gun Robberies Prompts Uganda to Disarm Private Security Firms
New Vision (Kampala)
3 February 2010
KAMPALA -- Government is considering withdrawing fire arms from private security firms. State minister for internal affairs Matia Kasaija says some officers from private security organisations have been implicated in using their guns to rob and kill innocent people. Kasaija said private security companies will now have to use batons to carry out their work. ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Large Seizures of Illegal Ammunition Stir Up Sleepy Kenyan Town
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
2 February 2010
NAIROBI -- Despite its proximity to the capital and being the gateway to the world famous Maasai Mara game reserve, Narok has remained a quiet, dusty and sleepy town. Not even the ongoing wrangling about the conservation of the Mau Forest have stirred it up. But things changed on December 7, last year. On that day, Narok was thrown into the spotlight when a large cache of ammunition and military hardware were discovered... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya,Czech Republic
Police Find Another 30,000 Kenyan, Czech Bullets in Suspect's Home
Associated Press
1 February 2010
NAROK, Kenya - Kenya's police chief says officers have seized another cache of bullets at the premises of a man already facing charges for a separate arms seizure last year. Matthew Iteere says police found the Kenyan and Czech-made bullets in a container at Munir Ahmed's garage. He says police seized two other containers but are yet to confirm their contents. Most of the 30,000 bullets are Kenyan, Iteere says. Such bullets... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (DRC)
Firearm Buyback Creates Market, Organisers Drop Gun Price in DR Congo
Xinhua
29 January 2010
KINSHASA -- A "firearms for money" operation will be launched on Jan. 28 in the restive eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in the central African country's another bid to restore peace and stability, a source in charge has disclosed. Pastor Daniel Ngoy Mulunda Nyanga, the initiator of the operation, made the disclosure after a meeting with Governor of North Kivu province Julien Paluku in the provincial... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police 'Lose' 3,000 Pistols a Year, Fuel Crime Gun Trade in South Africa
South African Press Association
27 January 2010
The police are "unwittingly fuelling the illegal arms trade" by ordering thousands of new pistols to replace those that have been lost or stolen, the Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday. Dianne Kohler Barnard said 4 000 new pistols ordered by the South African Police Service (SAPS) were not to boost firepower, but "mostly to replace lost and stolen firearms". "As revealed on the Armscor website, the ordering of 4 000... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa Imports More Handguns to Replace Thousands Lost by Police
Telegraph (UK)
27 January 2010
Almost 3,000 South African police firearms were lost or stolen in just nine months, it emerged today -- about three for every police station in the country, which has some of the highest crime rates in the world The worrying statistic comes less than six months before the football World Cup kicks off in the country. Dianne Kohler Barnard, the opposition Democratic Alliance shadow police minister, said that the state weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
In Sweep to Seize, Destroy Illegal Firearms, Kenya Police Kill Gun Owner
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
26 January 2010
NAIROBI -- A man was killed and 13 others arrested in a police operation to recover illegal firearms in Trans Mara District. District commissioner Albert Mwiritza said police shot the man who defied orders to surrender and instead fired his gun at the officers. He said an AK-47 rifle and 16 rounds of ammunition were found on the deceased. Among the 13 who were arrested was a taxi driver who was found with nine... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mozambique
Mozambique Churches Collected, Destroyed 700,000 Guns Since 1995
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
26 January 2010
MAPUTO -- Under its project "Transforming Guns into Hoes" (TAE), the Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM), the umbrella body for the mainstream protestant churches in the country, has, since 1995, collected and destroyed 700,000 guns held illegally, according to the CCM general secretary, Marcos Macamo, interviewed in Tuesday's issue of the independent daily "O Pais". TAE involves offering people holding illegal weapons useful... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Licensed Gun Owner Killed with Own Gun, Fed to Crocs in Zimbabwe
Herald (Zimbabwe)
25 January 2010
HARARE -- The Banket-based special interest councillor in the Zvimba Rural District Council who was murdered last Tuesday could have been shot with his own gun, police investigations have revealed. Sources close to the investigations yesterday said four suspects in Banket had been arrested in connection with Lancelot Zvironge's murder. The four were yesterday still in custody and assisting with investigations. Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tanzania
Gang Kills 14 in Tanzanian Mass Shooting, 9 Suspects Arrested
Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
21 January 2010
Police have arrested nine people and recovered two guns and 68 rounds of ammunition in a crackdown after gangsters killed 14 people at the weekend. But the Director of Criminal Investigations, Mr Robert Manumba, said police were yet to confirm if the guns, which were found abandoned in a bush, were the ones used in the killings. He said law enforcers recover a sub mashine gun with 68 bullets and a shotgun with five bullets... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police Destroy Another 80,611 Guns in South African Firearm Amnesty
South African Press Association
15 January 2010
JOHANNESBURG - Gun control campaigners welcomed the destruction of 80 611 guns by the SA Police Service on Friday. The weapons thrown into the furnace included guns recovered through the ongoing nationwide firearm amnesty, as well as obsolete police weapons and guns previously recovered by police from crime scenes. IANSA (International Action Network on Small Arms) Africa said the destruction sent a positive signal to South... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Firearm Amnesty Law 'an Insult' say South African Shooters
Richmark Sentinel
12 January 2010
The new firearm amnesty has kicked off with all the pomp and ceremony that the police can muster for what may well prove to be a pivotal moment in gun ownership in South Africa. The problem is that there are unresolved issues relating to the Firearms Control Act of 2000 (Act) which still have to be sorted out. Chief among these is the application before the High Court, brought by the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association,... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Amnesty Reduces South Africa's 'Pool of Illegal Guns'
AllAfrica.com
11 January 2010
Pretoria -- The dispossession of illegal and unwanted legal firearms during the new firearms amnesty period will significantly help in the fight against crime, says Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa. Addressing reporters on Monday on the firearms amnesty period which kicked off today and will end on 11 April, Mthethwa said the reduction of the number of firearms in circulation was an important part of the police's strategy to combat... ( gunpolicy.org )
Botswana
Botswanan Soldier Shoots Wife and Step-Mother, Captured
AllAfrica.com
11 January 2010
Francistown -- A Botswana Defence Force (BDF) soldier, who allegedly shot and wounded his girlfriend and her mother, appeared briefly before Chief Magistrate Mokwadi Gabanagae on two counts of attempted murder on Friday afternoon. He was charged with the attempted murder of Nametsegang Stewart and her mother, Cecilia Mphathiwa last Tuesday. Tonota police station said that Batsile Kesupile, 35, a lance corporal based at... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa,Angola,Togo
"Guns and Football Do Not Go Together"
Times Live (South Africa)
11 January 2010
Head of the 2010 local organising committee (LOC) Danny Jordaan described as "stupid" people who questioned South Africa's security measures for the World Cup after Friday's attack on the Togolese soccer team. "It doesn't make sense. If a bomb went off in Spain, do you think I should call England to ask about what the impact is on the Olympics England is organising? I think if something happens in France, you'll know it happened... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Impact of South Africa's Gun Amnesty Questioned
Mercury (Durban)
11 January 2010
With thousands of illegal firearms in circulation around the country, contributing to the high rate of serious and violent crimes, most political parties have welcomed the four-month gun amnesty that begins today, saying it will spur people with illegal firearms to surrender their weapons. The amnesty runs until April 11 and allows people to hand in illegal, unregistered firearms at any police station, without fear of prosecution.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Togo,Angola
2 Arrested, 3 Dead in Togo Team Bus Shooting
BBC News
10 January 2010
Angolan authorities have arrested two people over a deadly attack on Togo's football team at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, state media says. Angola's National Radio reported that two suspects were arrested in the northern province of Cabinda - where Togo's team bus was attacked on Friday. Cabinda has seen a low-level insurgency for many years. Two Togolese officials and the Angolan bus driver were killed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Togo Team Bus Attacked by Automatic Gunfire, 1 Dead, 9 Hurt
Associated Press
8 January 2010
LUANDA, Angola - Gunmen in an area plagued by separatist violence used machine guns to open fire Friday on a bus carrying Togo's national soccer team to a tournament in this southwest African country, killing the driver and wounding at least nine people, including two players. Some players said they wanted to pull out of the African Cup of Nations tournament following the violence, but an official in Angola said it would go ahead... ( gunpolicy.org )
Egypt
7 Churchgoers Dead in 'Retaliatory' Egyptian Drive-by Shooting
Associated Press
6 January 2010
CAIRO, Egypt - Three men in a car sprayed automatic gunfire into a crowd of churchgoers in southern Egypt as they left a midnight Mass for Coptic Christmas, killing at least seven people in a drive-by shooting, the church bishop and security officials said. Egypt's Interior Ministry said the attack Wednesday just before midnight was suspected as retaliation for the November rape of a Muslim girl by a Christian man in the same town.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Africa,Kenya
Deadline Extended by Kenyan Government to 'Mop Up' Illegal Guns
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
27 December 2009
The government has extended the deadline on the general amnesty issued to pastoralists to surrender illegal firearms. In a statement to the press on Sunday, Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti said the amnesty has been extended to January 20, 2010. The minister said his action was prompted by the good response by members of the pastoralist communities on the earlier amnesty that was issued by the Government.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Six Dead, Three Injured in Kenyan Christmas Assault Rifle Ambush
Cape Times (Capetown)
26 December 2009
Six people were killed and three others injured on Friday night when three men armed with R5 and AK-47 rifles entered a Ngwane house and opened fire, Kwa-Zulu Natal police said on Saturday. According to National Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele, the gunmen entered the house at 11.30pm. "A group of 11 friends were enjoying themselves when the three men entered. They simply opened fire on the group," said Cele. Those... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Ghanaian Boy, 8, Shoots, Kills Brother, 18, with Father's Illegal Rifle
All Africa
24 December 2009
KUMASI, Ghana -- An eight-year-old boy, Kwame Kusasi who lives at Anoroso, a farming village at Apetreinsa in the Asante Akim District of the Ashanti Region has been remanded in police custody for allegedly killing his eighteen year old brother. The deceased, Apabila Kusasi was shot in the chin and died instantly. Narrating the unfortunate incident to The Chronicle last Tuesday, Lance Corporal Godwin Ahianyo of the Public Relations... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Armed Herdsmen Storm Nigerian Village, Shoot, Kill 32
IRIN (UN News)
22 December 2009
KANO, Nigeria -- A tense calm has been restored following clashes between pastoralists and farmers in central Nigeria's Nasarawa State which left 32 people dead, scores of houses burned, and several farms destroyed, officials told IRIN. Violence erupted on 18 December when pastoralists attacked the farming village of Udeni Gida - two weeks after a clash with farmers on 6 December when herdsman led their cattle into rice fields resulting... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Civilians, Reservists Surrender Assault Weapons in Kenya Gun Ban Drive
Kenyan Broadcasting Service
21 December 2009
Residents of Iisiolo district have surrendered 177 assault rifles to the government in a bid to beat the amnesty period deadline. Security personnel have in the past two weeks also recovered 7,939 rounds of ammunition from civilians while Kenya police reservists have handed back 217 guns issued to them by the government. Isiolo DC Mr. James Mwaura commended the residents for surrendering illegal firearms and expressed optimism... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police Urge Safe Storage, Gun Owners Protest Destruction in South Africa
SABC News / SAPA
20 December 2009
People who own firearms and have a valid claim to them are set to start making presentations to National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele explaining why they should not be destroyed. According to a notice in the Government Gazette published on December 14, the State intends destroying all firearms and ammunition voluntarily surrendered or forfeited. Cele says the presentations should be made within 21 days after the publication of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Race to Smuggle, Buy Assault Weapons as Kenya Pastoralists Re-arm
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
20 December 2009
NAIROBI, Kenya -- The demand for automatic weapons in Turkana, Samburu and Pokot has created a huge market and this could explain the recent arms seizures in the country. Fuelled by persistent droughts, the arms race among the pastoral communities in Northern Kenya has intensified in the last decade with almost 95 per cent of households said to own a firearm. A two-decade study of the three communities says that by the... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Bust Yields 10 Stolen Firearms, Owners Urged to Lock Up Guns in Gauteng
South African Press Association
18 December 2009
"A total of ten stolen firearms were recovered when these arrests were made," said Senior Superintendent Eugene Opperman. Those arrested will appear in different courts in the province shortly. Opperman said legal gun owners should take steps to safe-guard their firearms and ammunition over the holiday season. "Firearms should be securely locked away in a prescribed safe, or otherwise it should be in the possession... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police Seize Illegal Firearms in Conflict-ridden Greytown, South Africa
Mercury (Durban)
15 December 2009
Although 16 unlicensed firearms were recovered in Greytown at the weekend, police believe stability has returned to the conflict-ridden town since the temporary deployment of the National Intervention Unit in June. Police Captain Thulane Zwane said the unit had been deployed after a series of violent incidents before and after the general elections. Several people, including IFP and ANC councillors, were shot and killed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
High-level Corruption Alleged in Kenya Police Gun Trafficking Scandal
Standard (Nairobi)
13 December 2009
Hardly a week after the Cabinet approved police reforms the Administration Police is in the eye of a new storm over an illegal arms haul. The force, which has been adversely mentioned in various reports that accuse it of gross human rights violations that include murder and rape during and after the 2007 General Election is fending off allegations that its top brass is involved in clandestine movement of arms. The centre... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom,Kenya
British Army Gear Among Large Ammo Cache and Guns Seized in Kenya
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
10 December 2009
NAIROBI -- A Kenyan working at a British Army base has been arrested and detained in connection with the huge cache of weapons seized by police in Narok. Mr John Wandeto, a civilian, was arrested as businessman Ishmael Munir and a senior Administration Police officer, Superintendent Joseph Maritim, were charged in court for illegally possessing government ammunition. Mr Wandeto, who is employed at the military base in Nanyuki,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Malaysia,Burundi
Malaysia Escapes UN Censure After Officials Scrap Arms Sale to Burundi
Malay Mail (Malaysia)
10 December 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - An attempt by a local company to export some 30,000 assault rifles to Burundi, worth more than RM200 million, nearly caused Malaysia to be censured by the United Nations Security Council, if not for the prompt action by Malaysian officials at the UN body. The Malay Mail learnt that officials from the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the UN in New York had managed to assure the world body that the Malaysian... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Gun Owner, Police Armourer Arrested Over 100,000-bullet Cache in Kenya
East African Standard (Nairobi)
9 December 2009
A couple was found with more than 100,000 bullets and military gear in their house at Narok town. Four rifles and two pistols were also found in Mr Munir Ahmed's house. A seventh pistol was found on his waist when he was arrested in Embakasi, Nairobi, on Monday night. The seized bullets are usually used in sub-machine guns. Yesterday, police displayed two telescopic machines, five pairs of military boots, assorted British... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Police Arrest Businessman with 'Licensed' Guns, 100,000 Bullets in Nairobi
Associated Press
8 December 2009
NAIROBI, Kenya -- Kenyan police on Tuesday said they arrested a suspected weapons smuggler with up to 100,000 bullets and an assortment of guns, a huge cache in a country with stringent gun laws. Police recovered the weapons and ammunition in two raids carried out late Monday on the suspect's house in the capital, Nairobi, and on a business site in the western town of Narok, Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere said. Ever... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tanzania
Tanzania Denies, But 'Will Investigate' Gun Running to DR Congo
NAM News Network
8 December 2009
SIMBEYE, Tanzania -- Inspector General of Police Mr Said Mwema has said that Tanzanian police have launched a formal inquiry of individuals accused by a United Nations report of smuggling weapons to rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). "For the police, the first step towards investigating a tip-off is an inquiry which we have already launched against individuals mentioned in the report," said Mr Mwema who introduced a maiden... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Harare City Council Workers Obliged to Carry Guns Without Training
Herald (Harare)
6 December 2009
Some City of Harare security personnel are carrying service firearms that they do not know how to use, it has emerged. The workers themselves said some of them had not been trained to use the firearms and those with training were not regularly retested, thereby posing a danger to the public and council resources they were entrusted to protect. Workers in the public safety department submitted a petition to council on November... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Soldiers Arrested, Jailed for Theft of 20 Zimbabwe Army AK-47s, Shotgun
Sunday News (Zimbabwe)
30 November 2009
Police in Harare have arrested four suspects in connection with the theft of 21 firearms at the Zimbabwe National Army's Pomona Barracks last month. One of the suspects was last Friday sentenced to 15 years imprisonment while all the firearms -- 20 AK-47 rifles and a shotgun -- were recovered at their respective homes in the city. Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka confirmed the developments yesterday.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Government to Seize, Destroy Illegal Guns in Kenya's Eastern, North Rift
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
20 November 2009
The government will mop out all illegal firearms in the insecurity prone areas of North Rift and Upper Eastern parts at the country in order to improve security in those areas. The minister for state in charge of internal security and provincial Administration, Prof. George Saitoti said over the years, the country had experienced proliferation of small and light fire arms due to its porous borders with her unstable neighbours. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Theft of AK-47s, 'Suicide' of Suspect Army Officer Stoke Zimbabwe Fears
IRIN (UN News)
20 November 2009
HARARE -- The recent "suicide" of a senior army officer in the wake of a break-in at a military armoury in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, is sowing fears that the missing guns may be used to fuel instability. In late October, 20 Chinese manufactured AK-47s and a number of shotguns were stolen from the armoury at the Pomona army barracks in Harare. The deputy commander of Pomona barracks, Major Maxwell Samudzi, had "committed suicide"... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria,Ukraine,West Africa
Nigeria, Ukraine to Cooperate in Tackling Gun Running in West Africa
African Press Agency
17 November 2009
LAGOS -- Nigerian President Umaru Yar'adua said on Tuesday that Nigeria and the Republic of Ukraine would cooperate to stem the tide in illegal trading in small arms across West African countries. Receiving a letter of credence from the new Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Valerii Vasyliev in Abuja on Tuesday, Yar'adua expressed the hope that"Ukraine will help us to bring the illegal trade under control". Yar'adua noted... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa,Ghana
West African Journalists Commend 9 Countries for Tackling Gun Control
Ghana News Agency
12 November 2009
ACCRA -- The West Africa Network of Journalists for Security and Development (WANJSD) on Wednesday commended the "Group of Nine ECOWAS Countries," for ratifying the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), their ammunition and other related materials. Mr Francis Ameyibor, WANJSD Deputy General Secretary, stated in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra that considering the proliferation of SALW constituted a major... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi,Kenya,Rwanda,Uganda,Tanzania,East Africa
We Must Eliminate the Menace of Illegal Guns in East Africa
Observer (Kampala), Opinion
11 November 2009
During the ceremonies to mark the 10th anniversary of the re-birth of the East African Community, 3,500 small arms were destroyed in a gesture of fighting the menace of illicit small arms and light weapons.The symbolic destruction of the unlicensed weapons fed into the theme of the anniversary celebrations, which was: 'Peace and security for stability and development.' Realising the magnitude of the menace of small arms in illegal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Gambia,West Africa,United Nations
West Africa, 153 UN Member States Promote Global Gun Trade Treaty
Daily Observer (Banjul)
9 November 2009
Every year, millions around the world suffer as a result of the non-regulation of the global arms trade. This year, on 30th October, 2009 at the United Nations, after years of discussions and debates, the vast majority of governments -- 153 in total -- agreed on a timetable to establish a"strong and robust Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with the highest common standards to control international transfers of conventional arms, a press release... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Gun Registries to Be Installed Nationwide by Ghana Police
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
4 November 2009
The Ghana Police Service has been directed to instal arms registries across the country as part of measures by the government to properly control weapons. Additionally, the government is also taking steps to ensure a good stockpile management, as well as branding and tracing of official weapons, to deal with the impunity with which small arms are being used for violent crimes and conflicts in the country. The President,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana,West Africa
Ghana to Ratify West African Regional Convention on Gun Control
Ghana News Agency
3 November 2009
ACCRA -- President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday said government would soon put before Parliament the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms for ratification. To this end, government has scheduled the Convention as one of the key issues on the agenda for discussion at the next Cabinet meeting. President Mills gave the assurance in a speech read for him by Mr Cletus Avorka, Minister of the Interior, at the inauguration of the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Central Africa,East Africa,Kenya,Rwanda,Somalia,Sudan,Uganda,Burundi,Congo (DRC)
Small Arms Control Group Decries 'Huge' Proliferation of Guns in Africa
Xinhua
3 November 2009
NAIROBI -- The Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA) has decried the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region, Horn of Africa and bordering states. RECSA Executive Secretary Francis Sang noted that the center was working in collaboration with the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa to promote disarmament. To address this problem, he said, the governments should support the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Soldiers 'Arrested, Tortured, Killed' After Theft of 20 AK-47s in Zimbabwe
SW Radio Africa (London)
2 November 2009
A group of soldiers were allegedly arrested recently, for reportedly stealing weapons from an army barracks in Harare. The Zimbabwe Times said 13 soldiers are accused of stealing 20 AK47 rifles and three shotguns from the armoury at Pomona Barracks. The Zimbabwe Times named the detained soldiers as: Sungiso Musa, Darlington Kanyingwe, Nyaruwata Lawyers, Charles Muzondo, Dzingai T Chibutwaka, Stanley Mvindwa, Chamunorwa Chinyere,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenya 'A Nation on a Timebomb' of Illegal Guns, Death Penalty Mooted
Standard (Nairobi)
1 November 2009
More than 130,000 guns are in the wrongs hands. The Government and experts are unanimous the country is sitting on a time bomb, which could explode any time. Head of the Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons David Kimaiyo warns the problem could reach unmanageable levels. "We have to address this issue once and for all, otherwise it might end up causing a serious social, economic and political problem,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
President Zuma, Gun Ownership and What the Gun Crime Trends Tell Us
Independent (Dhaka)
29 October 2009
On Sunday 25 October 2009 at a political rally in Limpopo province, South African President Jacob Zuma publicly raised concerns about the number of firearms in the hands of private citizens. In a move that is sure to anger the pro-gun lobby, Zuma suggested that a review of legislation governing firearm ownership was necessary in light of the country's crime challenges and the number of legally owned firearms stolen from citizens. President... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
More Than 10,000 Guns Surrendered for Destruction in Burundi Amnesty
Agence France Presse
28 October 2009
BUJUMBURA -- A Burundian disarmament taskforce said Wednesday it had received more than 70,000 arms surrendered by civilians over the past two years in war-wracked country. Dozens of others queued up to surrender their weapons, which included guns and grenades, as a midnight Wednesday deadline to voluntarily do so neared. "We are very satisfied with the work achieved since 2007. Today, on the last day for civilians to voluntarily... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Too Many Guns in the Hands of South African Citizens - President Zuma
South African Press Association
25 October 2009
JOHANNESBURG -- President Jacob Zuma has raised concerns about current guns laws, saying there were too many guns in South Africa, SABC News reported on Sunday. "This country which has such a high level of violent crime, has too many guns in the hands of the citizens," he said at a rally outside Tzaneen in Limpopo. "We need to look at the law, whether we should all have guns." Zuma said even people who had legal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Homemade Gun Sales Flourish As Ghanaian Blacksmiths Meet Demand
IRIN (UN News)
23 October 2009
ACCRA -- Blacksmith Sarpong, 35, operates a small shop in Ghana's second largest city, Kumasi. He is trained to produce cooking utensils, but prefers to make guns as he can earn more money that way. When sales are good his shop brings in US$1,000 a week, he said. Foreigners paying better than Ghanaians. "Most of my buyers are from Nigeria or Sierra Leone." "I can make an AK for you if you have the money," he told IRIN.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
More AK-47 Robberies, Shootings in South African Shopping Malls
Times (South Africa)
22 October 2009
Despite police promises to curb shopping mall robberies, there have been at least three armed heists in the past week -- including a large-scale assault on Menlyn Retail Park, in Pretoria. In the latest incident, a security guard was injured and a shopper had a close encounter with death. The drama began at 9am yesterday when at least 12 armed men simultaneously robbed a jewellery store and a bank in the mall. Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Swaziland
PM Assures MPs That Gun Licensing is Slow and Careful in Swaziland
Swazi Observer
20 October 2009
Prime Minister Dr Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini has assured MPs that it is hard for one to acquire a firearm in the country. He said the procedure involved was long and winding with tough checks and balances so that not everyone acquired a firearm at the end of the day in a bid to protect citizens. The PM said this in response to a question from Hlane MP Mduduzi Magagula who wanted to know the procedure in place for obtaining... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya,United Nations
Kenya Leads UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Against 'Merchants of Doom'
East African (Nairobi)
19 October 2009
Kenya is pressing within the United Nations for the start of talks on a binding global treaty to restrict the illegal transfer of small arms that take scores of lives in eastern and central Africa every day. The UN's disarmament committee will decide this month whether to endorse formal negotiations on such a treaty. Continuing in the leadership role it has played on this issue for several years, Kenya has joined Britain,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Guinea,West Africa
Guinea Gun Violence Prompts West Africa to Impose Arms Embargo
Reuters
17 October 2009
ABUJA, Nigeria -- West Africa regional bloc ECOWAS on Saturday imposed an arms embargo against Guinea, accusing the ruling military junta for "mass human rights violations" during anti-government protests last month. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also threatened full sanctions on Niger if President Mamadou Tandja does not take immediate steps to resolve the country's political crisis. International... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Uganda Claims to Have Seized 90% of Illegal Guns in Karamoja Region
New Vision (Kampala)
17 October 2009
KAMPALA -- Over 90% (27,199) of the illegal weapons in Karamoja sub-region have been recovered since the inception of the ongoing disarmament exercise in 2001. A statement issued after a five-day UPDF top leadership disarmament evaluation meeting in Moroto army barracks, said 10% (about 3,000) of the remaining Karimojong guns are buried underground in a bid to evade confiscation. "Arms trafficking into Karamoja has not... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Nigeria May Lift 1980s Police Ban, Allow Gunshot Wounds to Be Treated
Associated Press
15 October 2009
ABUJA, Nigeria -- A Nigerian lawmaker says parliament is considering a bill that will make it a criminal offense for hospitals and medical workers to delay or deny treatment of gunshot wounds. House of Representatives member Mayor Eze said Thursday that failure to treat a victim in both private and public hospitals could result in at least five years in prison. Nigerian hospitals now must wait to treat victims of gunshot... ( gunpolicy.org )
Senegal,West Africa
West African Groups Meet to Plan Curbs on Gun Running, Armed Violence
Afrique en ligne / PANA
15 October 2009
DAKAR, Senegal -- The director of ECOWAS Small Arms Control Programme (ECOSAP), Mohamed Lamine Coulibaly, has stressed the need to build the capacity of the national commissions in order to enhance the fight against the proliferation of light and small arms in the sub-region. Speaking here Wednesday at the third annual conference of national commissions on small arms, he said that the ECOSAP had entered a critical stage of growth... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Human Rights Worker Faces Charge for Discussing Kenya Gun Running
East African (Nairobi), Opinion
12 October 2009
NAIROBI -- Mid-last week, the British Broadcasting Corporation broke a story pointing to the possibility of arming, with conventional weapons, of both the Kalenjin and the Gikuyu communities in the Rift Valley. The story was picked up the next day by local media houses -- with key quotations to back up the BBC claims being given by Ken Wafula, who works with a human rights organisation in Eldoret. The government, predictably,... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa 'Too Armed: Too Many Guns Floating Around,' Says President
Business Day (Johannesburg)
8 October 2009
President Jacob Zuma yesterday criticised the level of gun ownership in SA, hinting at the possible tightening of firearm licence regulations. Zuma repeated his call for tough action against violent crime, saying criminals should not be allowed more rights than law-abiding citizens. "We need to be firm to those who undermine the human rights of others," he said in Pretoria at the official launch of the presidential hotline. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Government Must Do More to Seize, Destroy Illicit Guns in Uganda
Monitor (Kampala), Editorial
7 October 2009
President Yoweri Museveni on Monday torched a huge pyre of 3,500 illegal guns at the opening of the East African Peace and Security conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo. This is not the first time that thousands of such small firearms are being destroyed. In 2006, a total of 57,000 guns and small arms were smelted at the Steel Rolling Mills in Jinja. Only a year earlier, the government had destroyed 3,000 guns at Nsambya Primary... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Influx of Illegal Guns as Kenyans 'Rearm for Ethnic Arms Race, 2012 Poll'
BBC News
7 October 2009
Rival ethnic groups in Kenya who fought after the 2007 election are rearming in readiness for violence at the 2012 poll, a BBC investigation has found. It is feared villagers in Rift Valley province are moving from traditional weapons such as spears to machine guns. Government officials insist they are tackling the influx of illegal arms. But they have been widely criticised for failing to punish the ringleaders... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Gun Control Commission Closed, Govt Corruption Alleged in Ghana
Graphic (Ghana)
6 October 2009
A former Technical Advisor and National Co-ordinator of the Small Arms Commission, Nana Frema Busia, has urged the Government to investigate the circumstances under which the commission was closed down and her appointment terminated by the Kufuor administration. At a press conference in Accra, Nana Frema Busia who is a daughter of former Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, said the commission was established to mop up small arms in... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Owning an Assault Weapon Could Soon Be a Hanging Offence in Kenya
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
6 October 2009
Owners of illegal guns and police officers who rent their firearms to criminals could soon face the death penalty. Law enforcement agencies are pushing for tighter gun control and have proposed a raft of tough measures to be discussed by the Cabinet soon. These include an amendment to the Firearms Act, the law governing the legal ownership of guns. According to the latest proposals contained in the National Policy... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia,Southern Africa
Local, US Experts Probe Illegal Gun Possession, Crime in Southern Africa
New Era (Windhoek)
29 September 2009
WINDHOEK -- Military and security experts from across Southern Africa, the USA and Europe are meeting in Windhoek to identify practical measures that will help address problems caused by the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW). The proliferation of SALW poses a serious security challenge, as not only do the they prolong the duration of armed conflict but also threaten long term stability and development... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria,United Nations
Nigeria Calls for Reinforced UN Fight Against Illicit Global Gun Trade
Xinhua
28 September 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- There is an urgent need for a rejuvenated fight against trafficking in small arms, a top Nigerian diplomat said at the General Assembly here Monday, stressing the ties between that trade and piracy and oil smuggling in the Niger Delta. "The proliferation of small arms in West Africa is fast turning the region into a major transit point for illicit drugs, thus also facilitating the growth of criminal syndicates,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Blacksmiths Urge Ghana to Legalise Gun Making, Control Bush Industry
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation / Daily Graphic
26 September 2009
A call has been made to the government to legalise the manufacture of small arms in the country and bring them under state control as a way of averting their illicit acquisition by criminals. Reacting to the current resolve of the police to take the war against armed robbery to blacksmiths who manufacture arms locally, a leader of the blacksmiths association in the Ashanti Region and a researcher into small arms suggested as an... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Arms Amnesty Has Reduced Gun Running in Nigeria, Says Government
Leadership (Abuja)
24 September 2009
ABUJA -- The Director-General of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Joseph Gowa has said that the amnesty programme of the Federal Government has reduced the incidence of arms competition among militant groups in the Niger Delta region and also reduced the influx of small arms and light weapons into the restive area. He said the programme has achieved great results and has the potential of addressing the problems of the region if... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan
Gun Seizures Could Spark Further Violence in South Sudan's Juba
IRIN (UN News)
22 September 2009
JUBA -- The recent campaign by the Southern Sudanese authorities to seize illegal arms has yielded a "fearsome arsenal" of weapons, but critics warn that forcible disarmament could spark further violence. Security forces launched the campaign in the Southern capital of Juba on 9 September, with police and soldiers searching houses for illegal weapons. "This is the first step we have taken to collect the guns from the people,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
Police, Military Weapon Storage Upgraded to Curb Gun Theft in Burundi
Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Media release
21 September 2009
MAG is improving security at Burundi's police stations and armouries in the run-up to next year's crucial general elections. Following decades of dictatorship and a 12-year long civil war that killed over 300,000, these first elections after the transition elections will be determining for the country's future. With the Burundian population and international community fearing electoral violence amid rising tensions, MAG... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa,Czech Republic
Czech Government Builds Gun Marking, Tracing Capacity in West Africa
United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) DC/3190, Media release
18 September 2009
NEW YORK -- Small arms experts from West African nations gathered in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, from 14 to 18 September to participate in a capacity-building workshop focusing on implementation of the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons. United Nations Member States adopted the document, also known as the International... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia
Global Shooting Lobby Touts Killing African Game Animals to Save Them
New Era (Windhoek)
16 September 2009
WINDHOEK -- Scores of leading scientists, professionals and hunting industry representatives are meeting in Windhoek to exchange the latest research and information on the role of hunting on ecology and the economy. The meeting, the first-ever symposium on 'Ecological and Economic Benefits of Hunting' to be organised by the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities (WFSA), has brought together 60 representatives from... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zambia
Illegal Firearms Targeted by Gun Amnesty in Zambia's Western Province
Post (Zambia)
16 September 2009
SENANGA -- Western Province permanent secretary Ikanuke Noyoo has appealed to people with illegal firearms in the province to surrender them to the government since the amnesty was still in place. In interview, Noyoo said that Western Province's Shangombo, Kalabo and Kaoma were the worst affected districts with illegal firearms in civilian hands. "The Minister of Home Affairs has already put in place a programme to dispatch... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan
Army Raids Successfully Seize Illegal Firearms in South Sudan's Juba
Sudan Tribune
10 September 2009
JUBA -- Security forces have retrieved thousands of illegally possessed firearms after a comprehensive dawn search of weapons in the semi-autonomous Southern Sudan's capital, Juba, on Wednesday. The search that caught Juba residents by surprise was jointly carried out jointly by the forces of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and other organized forces. Several thousands of SPLA and police forces were involved in... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa
Governments, NGOs Talk Up Fight Against Gun Trafficking in West Africa
Daily Observer (Monrovia)
10 September 2009
MONROVIA -- Stakeholders in the fight against small arms and light weapons in West Africa have ended a one-day retreat at Thinker's Village along Roberts International Airport (RIA) Highway in Monrovia. For years, they have been involved in a holistic fight against proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the sub-region. The day-long Inter-Agency Synergy Retreat was organized by the Liberia National Commission on... ( gunpolicy.org )
East Africa, Central Africa
East, Central African Countries Harmonise Laws to Curb Gun Trafficking
East African (Nairobi)
7 September 2009
NAIROBI -- Countries from the Great Lakes region and Horn of Africa are to harmonise their laws to fight the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. "In order to address the problem effectively, we have resolved to harmonise our laws so that we can rein in the culprits. Our state arms are being marked to help in tracing them if they fall into the wrong hands," Tanzania Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Dominic Hayuma... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
After Decade of Forced Disarmament, Illegal Guns Still Haunt Karamoja
Monitor (Kampala)
5 September 2009
Nearly a decade ago the government launched a disarmament programme to rid Karamoja of illegal guns that at the time were largely responsible for the mayhem in the region. At the inception of the exercise in 2001, illegal guns circulating in Karamoja were estimated at 80,000 by the civil society organisations operating in the region The government has since contested the figure of 80,000 saying the number was much less... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Owners Due Millions Following South African Ministers' 'Bungling'
South African Press Association
1 September 2009
The Cape High Court has given Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa 90 days to draw up guidelines for compensation for firearms surrendered under the gun control law. The ruling could result in pay-outs totalling millions of rands for gun owners who have handed in weapons since 2004. The order was handed down on Monday by Acting Judge President Jeanette Traverso, who at the same time slapped down an attempt by Mthethwa to distance... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Harmonisation of Gun Control Law Key to Kenya's War on Small Arms
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
27 August 2009
The Kenya government has started harmonising crime laws to boost the war on small arms. Solicitor-general Wanjuki Muchemi said the Organised Crime Bill, Terrorism Bill and International Crime Bill are being amended to help combat crime. The changes include harsher penalties for illegal possession of guns, he said, adding that the amendments also seek to address the misuse of firearms by police officers. Light weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
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