Tanzania
Success of Gun Amnesty 'Good News Indeed' for Arusha, Tanzania
Citizen (Dar es Salaam), Editorial
14 July 2008
Police in Arusha Region say they have recovered over 20 illegally owned firearms in the past fortnight, and this is good news indeed for a region that is grappling with high crime rates. It is worth noting that most of the guns were handed in by village leaders after they were surrendered by people who had been possessing them illegally. The recovery of the firearms should go a long way in reducing armed robberies and other forms... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Too Many Guns Threaten Displaced Civilians, Say Ugandan Officials
IRIN (UN News)
10 July 2008
GULU, Uganda -- Northern Uganda has enjoyed relative peace following years of clashes between government troops and rebels, but the prevalence of illegal weapons across the region poses a new challenge to displaced civilians returning to their villages, officials said. "The region has seen a great deal of violence and so many guns are still on the loose," Phenihensas Arinaitwe, the regional police commander, said. "Some rogue elements... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Somalia
No Response Yet to UN Report on Gun Trafficking in Kenya
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
8 July 2008
Almost three months after the UN Security Council released a report saying a shipment of arms from Somalia had entered Kenya, the Government is yet to make its findings known. When reached for comment Monday, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said: "The report has not come to my attention". He requested for a copy to be faxed to him. "That is a very sensitive report that I am not aware of. Sometimes everyone is so engrossed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Cost of Zimbabwe Gun Licence Rises to $50 Billion, Renewal $25 Billion
Herald (Harare)
1 July 2008
Police have, with immediate effect, increased charges for obtaining firearms and clearance certificates. Police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri yesterday said the increases were with effect from today. The cost of issuing a firearms certificate has been raised from $50 million to $50 billion while an import permit now costs $250 billion, up from $250 million. Renewing a firearm certificate now costs $25... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Africa
African Nations Collaborate to Prioritise Crackdown on Gun Trafficking
Nation (Nairobi)
10 June 2008
African countries will develop a combined approach to deal with the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, an African Union (AU) official said on Monday. AU director for peace and security department Geofrey Mugumya said African heads of states were committed to combating the problem jointly to help in taming internal conflicts which have torn apart some countries. Addressing journalists on the AU commission... ( gunpolicy.org )
Malawi
Human Rights Campaign Urges Malawians to Give Up, Eradicate Guns
Daily Times (Malawi)
10 June 2008
A prominent human rights lobbyist has urged Malawians to help curb the use of small arms in order to enhance peace in the country. Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), in a statement, urges Malawians to assume responsibility to tackle the proliferation of small arms by playing a proactive role and offer tips and information to police on anyone suspected to be illegally in possessions of firearms. "It is tragic... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Most Gunshot Victims Shot by Lawful Gun Owners, Says Ugandan Group
New Vision (Kampala)
7 June 2008
KAMPALA -- The Uganda Action Network on small arms and light weapons has urged the Government to control the rampant misuse of firearms that has left many wounded and maimed. "Majority of the victims with gunshot wounds are inflicted by official guns," said Rev. Canon Joyce Nima, the organisation co-ordinator. Nima, who led the press, the clergy and a team from her organisation, on Thursday visited some victims admitted... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Zambia, Southern Africa
Gun Control Groups Urge Zambian PM to Cut Weapon Flow to Zimbabwe
Daily Mail (Zambia )
6 June 2008
The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) has petitioned President Mwanawasa to immediately put in place a moratorium on the transfer of weapons to Zimbabwe because they can be used against the people. And Centre for Policy Dialogue executive director, Neo Simutanyi, has warned that violence in Zimbabwe could escalate to levels worse than what happened in Kenya if the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Southern Africa
Southern African Nations Plan Moratorium on Gun Trade to Zimbabwe
South African Press Association
6 June 2008
Civil bodies yesterday urged the Southern African Development Community governments to impose a moratorium on the supply of arms to Zimbabwe. At a briefing in Johannesburg, Obby Chibuluma of the Coalition for Peace in Africa said: "We are asking for the moratorium on Zimbabwe to make sure security is guaranteed before and after the June 27 runoff elections." More than 110000 people globally had signed a petition on the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Southern Africa
Global Gun Control Group, African NGOs Urge Arms Freeze on Zimbabwe
Reuters
5 June 2008
JOHANNESBURG -- A coalition of African-based civil society organisations urged southern African countries on Thursday to freeze arms shipments to Zimbabwe to avoid plunging the country into deeper political violence. Led by the International Action Network on Small Arms, the organisations said politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe was escalating ahead of a June 27 presidential run-off and any transfer of arms and military equipment... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, Southern Africa
Outrage Lingers Over Chinese Shipment of Guns, Ammunition to Zimbabwe
Arms Control Today (USA)
1 June 2008
In April, South African dockworkers refused to unload a Chinese cargo ship carrying more than 70 tons of small arms destined for Zimbabwe. The refusal set off international reactions that led to the recall of the shipment and calls for stronger international arms trade measures, such as a global arms trade treaty. The shipment, including three million rounds of ammunition for AK47s and 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades, was meant... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenyan Prison Warden Arrested Selling Ammunition in Nairobi Supermarket
News24 (Cape Town)
29 May 2008
NAIROBI -- Kenyan police have arrested a prison warden who was caught selling ammunition in a Nairobi supermarket, says a spokesperson. The warden attached to the capital's Kamiti maximum-security prison was detained on Wednesday after being caught red-handed, said police spokesperson Eric Kiraithe. "Sixteen rounds of ammunition for a G3 rifle means utter devastation. The warden will be charged with illegal possession of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa
Concern Over Increase in Illegal Guns After Post-Poll Violence in Kenya
IRIN (UN News)
26 May 2008
NAIROBI -- Very little has been done to check the increase in illegal guns in parts of Kenya that were hardest hit by the post-election crisis, an official of a peace and development NGO said on 23 May. "The small arms problem is bigger at this point than at any other time in our country's history, especially owing to the post-election violence, which created new markets for illegal arms more than ever before," Mutuku Nguli, chief... ( gunpolicy.org )
Malawi
Malawian MPs Ignorant of Global Gun Trade Treaty - But All Intend to Sign It
Africa News (Netherlands), Blog
19 May 2008
Most Malawian Members of Parliament (MP) are unaware about the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), two years after 153 member states of the United Nations voted in its favour for sustainable world peace in 2006. UN member states agreed during that year, at the UN General Assembly, on the need to have a plausible world treaty regulating the sale of small arms and light weapons. It was hoped that this would help control the proliferation of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Kenya, East Africa
East African Nations Team Up to Curb Gun Smuggling, Trafficking
Monitor (Kampala)
5 May 2008
MBALE --Security chiefs from Uganda and Kenya have stepped up efforts to end persistent arms trafficking along the common border. Last week, Uganda's and Kenya's joint border commissioners met in Mbale to fine-tune plans to stop the vice. The Minister for Presidency, Dr Beatrice Wabudeya, also attended the meeting at Mbale Resort Hotel. According to the army, the strategy is aimed at reducing gun-flow across the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Somalia
Somali Lawmakers Accused of Criminal Activities, Ordered to Register Guns
Garowe Online (Garowe) / AllAfrica
5 May 2008
Legislators in Somalia have been asked to register their weapons with the transitional federal government following a police official's accusations that lawmakers are involved in criminal activities, local sources said. Sheikh Adan "Madobe" Mohamed, the parliament Speaker, told lawmakers in the southwestern city of Baidoa that the government wants to know the number of weapons and guards each lawmaker keeps around for personal security.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Army Seizes Another 31 Guns from Uganda's Karamojong Warriors
New Vision (Kampala)
30 April 2008
KAMPALA -- Two Karimojong warriors were killed in an operation in which the UPDF recovered 31 guns on Monday. The 3rd Division spokesperson, Capt. Henry Obbo, said the guns were found in Rupa sub-county in Moroto, Lokopo and Lolalachat sub-counties in Nakapiripirit district. Others were found in Nakapelimoru and Panyangara sub-counties in Kotido district, Obbo said. He added that 50 warriors were being detained at the 405... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China
Arms Cargo to Zimbabwe Exposes Mugabe's Link to Chinese Gun Maker
Sunday Times (UK)
28 April 2008
The boycott of a Chinese ship laden with weapons for Zimbabwe has cast new light on the connections between the African country's president, Robert Mugabe, and a secretive Chinese arms-trading firm with a controversial track record from the Congo to Darfur. The ship steamed towards China last week after dock workers in Durban refused to unload it and a South African court blocked the transit of its cargo of mortar and small arms... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Give Kenyans Guns: AK-47s Maintain Social, Economic, Political Equilibrium
Nation (Nairobi), Opinion
26 April 2008
NAIROBI -- For decades, Kerio Valley and the adjoining areas have been rocked by intermittent ethnic violence but they have never produced an internal refugee. Yet Eldoret, Kericho, Kuresoi, Molo, Nakuru and the surrounding areas produced hundreds of thousands of displaced people after less than six weeks of post-election violence. What is the difference between these two sets of volatile regions in the Rift Valley? The answer is... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China
Beijing Recalls Zimbabwe Arms Cargo: Speculation on Gun Airlift to Mugabe
Associated Press
25 April 2008
BEIJING -- A shipment of Chinese weapons headed for troubled Zimbabwe will be returned to China because there is no way to deliver it to the landlocked country in southern Africa, China said Thursday. Countries neighboring Zimbabwe refused to allow the Chinese freighter An Yue Jiang to dock at their ports. That followed heavy pressure from African unions, churches and human rights groups, bolstered by behind-the-scenes pressure... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Shootings, Gun Crime Bring Calls for Urgent Firearm Seizures in Kenya
Nation (Nairobi)
25 April 2008
NAIROBI -- Residents and leaders in the larger Laikipia district have appealed to the Government to mop up illegal firearms in the area following a fresh wave of killings by bandits. The call follows increased cases of murder, robbery and stock theft. Residents have been killed by bandits and cattle rustlers and hundreds of cattle, sheep and goats stolen. Laikipia West district commissioner, Fredrick Shisia estimates the number... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Zambia, United Kingdom, Canada, China, World
Chinese Gun Shipment to Zimbabwe Shines Spotlight on Global Gun Trade
Toronto Star (Ontario)
24 April 2008
When the Chinese freighter An Yue Jiang pulled into the South African port of Durban last week loaded with weapons bound for crisis-ridden Zimbabwe, it seemed to be just one more day in the lucrative arms trade that has engulfed the continent with deadly results. Instead the ship ran into a storm of protest -- with dock workers joining union leaders, church officials and the High Court to block the shipment -- until the vessel left... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, China
Praise 3 African Nations for Barring 'Ship of Shame' Gun Cargo to Zimbabwe
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
24 April 2008
It's a rare moment when three African nations, in an effort to forestall violence, block a shipment of weapons to a neighboring country in political turmoil. It's perhaps even a historic development when those weapons were sold by a great power and were bound for a government that is not under United Nations sanctions and has every legal right to buy arms -- though no moral right to do so. So let us praise the courageous peoples of South... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, China
Cargo of Chinese Guns, Ammunition Visits Namibia on Way to Zimbabwe
Namibian (Windhoek)
22 April 2008
A Chinese ship carrying six containers of ammunition for Zimbabwe has applied to take on fuel at Walvis Bay this morning. The An Yue Jiang is carrying three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1 500 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3 000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes. Attempts to get comment from Government yesterday were unsuccessful. Messages were left for Minister of Information, Joel Kaapanda, but he... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, United States, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia
China Says Ship Carrying Ammunition, Guns to Zimbabwe May Head Home
Associated Press
22 April 2008
HARARE, Zimbabwe -- A shipment of weapons to Zimbabwe may be returned to China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, after the troubled southern African nation's neighbors prevented the cargo from being unloaded. The Chinese freighter arrived in South Africa last week, and human rights groups and others said they feared the mortar grenades and bullets onboard could be used by President Robert Mugabe's regime to clamp down... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, Zambia
Chinese Ammunition 'Ship of Shame' Adrift in Southern African Controversy
IRIN (UN News)
22 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG -- There were conflicting reports about the whereabouts of a Chinese ship, laden with a cargo of small arms destined for Zimbabwe, after it was turned away from South Africa's port city of Durban. According to some reports, the 150-metre multipurpose cargo vessel, the An Yue Jiang - registered in China and one of 600 vessels owned by the China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), dubbed by South African media as the "Ship... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, China
Global Gun Control Campaign Protests Chinese Arms Shipment to Zimbabwe
New Era (Windhoek)
22 April 2008
WINDHOEK -- The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) yesterday called on all Namibians to raise their voices in protest against the docking of the Chinese ship, An Jue Jiang, at a Namibian harbour. The ship is carrying arms bound for Zimbabwe, including three million rounds of ammunition and desperately trying to find a way to deliver the cargo to that country. After the International Action Network on Small Arms, IANSA, a global... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, United States, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia
Gun Cargo Rejection 'Dramatic Turn' for Africa's Embrace of Zimbabwe
Washington Post
22 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG -- A Chinese ship carrying weapons and ammunition for Zimbabwe's military may be headed back home, reports said, after repeated attempts to deliver its cargo were frustrated by a coalition of legal activists, union workers and human rights groups. The region's resistance to the shipment, which drew praise from the United States on Tuesday, marks a dramatic turn from southern Africa's traditional embrace of Zimbabwe's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, China
Southern African Ports Shun Ship Carrying Guns to Zimbabwe; US Agrees
Los Angeles Times / Chicago Tribune
22 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Public outcries have forced a rusty Chinese cargo ship to avoid South Africa, Mozambique and Angola, leaving it at sea Tuesday with 77 tons of munitions bound for Zimbabwe, where an election crisis has reportedly turned violent. The An Yue Jiang was carrying about 3 million rounds of Chinese ammunition, 1,500 rockets and 3,000 mortar shells. The State Department's top Africa envoy, who is to arrive... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, China
Under African Pressure, China Recalls Cargo of Zimbabwe Guns, Ammo?
SW Radio Africa (London)
22 April 2008
A controversial arms shipment from China, meant for crisis torn Zimbabwe, might have been recalled back to China following pressure from African countries that refused to allow it to dock at their ports. On Tuesday the China Ocean Shipping Company, owners of the An Yue Jiang ship, announced their vessel was coming back home. Despite Chinese claims that the delivery was 'normal military product trade,' Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola, South Africa, China
US Seeks to Block Zimbabwe-bound Chinese Ammunition, Gun Shipment
Associated Press
22 April 2008
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is intervening with governments in southern Africa to prevent a Chinese ship carrying weapons for Zimbabwe's security forces from unloading its cargo, The Associated Press has learned. At the same time, the State Department's top Africa hand, Jendayi Frazer, plans to visit the region this week to underscore U.S. concerns about the shipment. Frazer also will try to persuade Zimbabwe's neighbors... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia
Zimbabwe Bristles at Southern Africa's Rejection of Guns, Ammo Cargo
News24 (Cape Town)
22 April 2008
HARARE -- Zimbabwe bristled at criticism for buying arms from China on Tuesday, as pressure mounted on its neighbours to keep a load of weapons from reaching their destination. China said a Chinese ship carrying the shipment might return home without offloading its cargo. The ship arrived in South Africa last week carrying Chinese weapons for landlocked Zimbabwe. South African human rights, union and others groups objected,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, China
Campaign Against Zimbabwe Ammunition, Gun Shipment Gains Momentum
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) / SAPA
21 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- A campaign to prevent arms currently aboard a Chinese ship from reaching Zimbabwe gained momentum on Monday with trade unions calling on their counterparts not to allow the vessel to dock at any African port. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) called for an international boycott of the vessel. "Cosatu is doing everything possible to alert the international trade-union movement... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola, China
South African Court, Unions, NGOs Block Guns, Ammo Cargo to Zimbabwe
Scotland on Sunday
20 April 2008
Dockyard workers in Africa are refusing to unload a Chinese ship laden with weapons for Zimbabwe. The whereabouts of the vessel, the An Yue Jiang, were not known last night, although it was believed to be heading to Angola. Sources say the ship is carrying three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition along with 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades and several thousand mortar rounds. Dock workers in the region are expected to refuse... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa
Global Gun Control Group Seeks Court Order to Block Ammo to Zimbabwe
SW Radio Africa (London)
18 April 2008
The South African government has said that it is determined to allow the export of a consignment of Chinese weapons and ammunition to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. AB Logistics is the state owned transport section of the South African Defence Forces, and they have been approached to handle this large shipment of weapons and ammunition to Zimbabwe. A number of private companies backed out of the contract. Not necessarily because of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa
Shipload of Guns, Ammunition Heads to Zimbabwe Through South Africa
Daily Mail (UK)
18 April 2008
Fears of bloody crackdown in Zimbabwe grew last night as a shipload of weapons bound for the country docked in South Africa ready to be transported across the border. South Africa said if the papers were in order it had no plans to interfere with the shipment from China of 77 tonnes of weapons -- including mortars, ammunition and rocket-held grenades -- despite the growing international outcry over Zimbabwe's failure to declare... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa
South Africa Lets Pass 3 Million Rounds of AK-47 Ammunition for Zimbabwe
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
18 April 2008
DURBAN -- The South African government is determined to allow the export of a large consignment of Chinese weapons and ammunition to the Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF). The Mail & Guardian has confirmed that AB Logistics, state-owned Armscor's transport arm, has been approached to handle the transport of the weapons to Zimbabwe, after several private logistics firms backed out of the transport contract because of the sensitive cargo... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa
Development Money to East Africa Fails to End Gun Trade Among Herders
Nation (Nairobi)
17 April 2008
LONDON -- Donors have been asked to stop funding NGOs working for peace in northern Kenya because the money has failed to do anything to reduce conflicts between pastoralist communities. Moreover, governments in East Africa have been challenged to do more to stop the proliferation of arms in the region. They have also been urged to work jointly to disarm all militia groups to improve security in the region. These are the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Student Gets 9yrs Jail for Illegal Possession of Submachine Guns
New Vision (Kampala)
14 April 2008
KAMPALA -- Julius Nyago, a 20-year-old student of Dodoth College in Kotido district, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for illegal possession of guns. The 3rd Division Court Martial chaired by Col. John Baptist Mulindwa convicted Nyago on Friday. The court heard that he was arrested from school on January 17 with two sub-machine guns and 120 bullets that were concealed in a suitcase. The court also sentenced... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa, Central Africa
Central, East African Nations Begin to Mark, Register and Trace Legal Guns
Nation (Nairobi)
7 April 2008
Twelve African countries Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to the marking of all state-owned small arms and light weapons by end of this year. The Regional Centre on Small Arms (Recsa) deputy executive secretary ambassador Tharcisse Midonzi said the 12 countries from the Great Lakes region, East Africa and Horn of Africa had also agreed to maintain data bases to ease the tracing of small arms and light weapons. Mr Midonzi... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Denies Selling Guns to Karamojong Pastoralists, Rebels
New Vision (Kampala)
6 April 2008
KAMPALA -- The army has refuted reports that soldiers were selling guns and bullets to Karimojong warriors. The 3rd Division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, said they had set up an armoury committee headed by the division operations and training officer, Col. Paul L'Okech, to ensure there was no misuse of weapons. "We keep record of the guns in the hands of our soldiers whenever they go out for the cordon-and-search operations.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa, Central Africa
Central, East African States Launch Gun Marking Scheme to Curb Trafficking
East African Standard (Nairobi)
2 April 2008
NAIROBI -- Kenya became the first country in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa to mark its small arms and light weapons. During a symbolic ceremony that coincided with a regional workshop on small arms and light weapons marking and data management, equipment belonging to the Kenya Police was marked. An expert from South Africa, Mr Anthony Coetzee, marked a G-3 rifle and a Ceska pistol using a Marking Press Machine.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Africa
East, Central, North African Nations Meet to Trace, Intercept Illegal Guns
Nation (Nairobi)
1 April 2008
The Government will put in place mechanisms of tracing illicit firearms and gathering data that could lead to prosecution of illegal arms merchants. Police commissioner Major-General Hussein Ali has said the mechanisms would be key in curbing the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) and help in containing insecurity. He made the remarks at Leopard Beach Hotel when he officially opened a five-day... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Study Estimates 127,000 Illegal Guns Loose in Kenya's North Rift Districts
Nation (Nairobi)
31 March 2008
The recent spate of violence in Laikipia District could be attributed to the proliferation of illegal arms in the region. Laikipia is bordered by Baringo and Samburu districts, which are thought to have up to 25,000 small arms being held illegally. In a book titled Terrorised Citizens by a retired Air Force officer and two university dons, Samburu is suspected to have 16,000 guns in the wrong hands with Baringo having about... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Corrupt Ugandan Army Officers Selling Guns to Rebels, Trading Stolen Cattle
Monitor (Kampala)
28 March 2008
KAMPALA -- Kaabong District, RDC Geoffrey Kiwanda yesterday alleged that some UPDF soldiers are selling guns and ammunition to the Karimojong. Flanked by the Dodoth County MP, Fr Simon Lodou, Mr Kiwanda told journalists at Parliament that the UPDF is not only selling impounded cattle but also guns and ammunition. "Whenever we track these guns from Karimojong during the disarmament operations, we recover our very own guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Uganda: Gun Running, Armed Violence Could Harm Northern Peace Deal
Monitor (Kampala)
28 March 2008
KAMPALA/GULU -- As northern Uganda prepares for a post-war recovery programme that will see thousands of displaced people resume a normal life, arms trafficking is becoming a serious security concern among the stakeholders. Security and local leaders fear that the problem of illegal guns and weapons said to be in the hands of former LRA combatants, Karimojong warriors, army deserters, robbers, arms traffickers from Southern Sudan,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Seizes Guns, Aims to Curb Illegal Arms Trade, Smuggling
New Vision (Kampala)
26 March 2008
There are clandestine markets dealing in small arms and light weapons along Uganda's borders, the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, has said. Nyakairima said the weapons were being used in criminal activities against both civilians and security agents. "We are aware that there are some well established markets that sell small arms and light weapons along Uganda's borders and trading routes. All these help... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Cancels Karamojong Gun Amnesty, Will Jail Firearm Owners
Monitor (Kampala)
25 March 2008
MOROTO -- The army will not grant any more amnesty to Karimojong warriors arrested with guns. According to the division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, any Karimojong warrior arrested with an illegal gun shall be court martialled immediately and sentenced to imprisonment. Under the UPDF amnesty -- any Karimojong warrior who voluntarily hands over a gun or is arrested with a gun during cordon and search operation, is to be set... ( gunpolicy.org )
Rwanda
New Rwanda Gun Law Promises 5 Years to Life for Firearm Trafficking
New Times (Kigali)
19 March 2008
KIGALI -- The Lower Chamber of Parliament has passed a Bill that criminalizes the illegal possession of firearms. The Bill determines ways of acquisition, possession, carriage, manufacturing, selling, storage and obtaining all types of ammunitions and their accessories. Any person who exposes, lends, gives away or loses a firearm will serve a sentence of one year in prison and a fine of Frw100,000 or both. It also... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Africa
'Merchant of Death' Viktor Bout Had Gun Running Deals With East Africans
East African (Nairobi)
17 March 2008
Viktor Bout. His name has a sharp, staccato to it, much like the sound of an AK-47 shot. Dubbed the "Merchant of Death" by former British foreign office minister Peter Hain, the countries the Russian national has reputedly sold arms to -- Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Congo and others -- read like a list of Africa's worst killing fields. The UN and international human-rights activists say that those arms, obtained illegally or... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Former Rebels Told to Surrender Illegal Guns Hidden in West Nile Region
New Vision (Kampala)
16 March 2008
KAMPALA -- The army has called on former combatants in the West Nile region to surrender military weapons in their possession. Capt. Robert Kamara, the regional UPDF spokesman, said they had evidence that former soldiers had guns hidden in discreet arms banks. "There were various rebel groups that signed peace agreements with the Government and declared their arms. But we believe that some of them did not have the opportunity... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Sudan, Africa
Ugandan Military Seize 'Massive Cache' of Illegal Guns in West Nile Region
Sunday Vision (Kampala)
15 March 2008
A massive cache of illegal arms has been seized by security agencies in the West Nile region, in the past fortnight. With the accumulation of illegal arms in the West Nile, following the 20-year-old LRA war and other armed conflicts in the neighbouring region's neighbouring countries, the security agencies swung into action early this month, to halt it. The operation by security and intelligence services and local people,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Africa
Ugandan Army Generals Linked to 'Merchant of Death' Gun Runner Bout
Monitor (Kampala)
10 March 2008
KAMPALA -- Mr Viktor Bout, the world's most notorious illegal arms baron who was arrested in Thailand at the weekend, sold arms to Uganda and illegally used Entebbe International Airport to ship arms to DR Congo and Liberia. Former Russian KGB officer Bout -- nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" -- is believed to have supplied weapons to dozens of rebel groups the world over, including the Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked groups. A... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Uganda Continues Drive to Disarm Karamoja Herders, 91 More Guns Seized
New Vision (Kampala)
9 March 2008
KAMPALA -- The UPDF has recovered 91 guns in the first six days of March in the on-going operation to recover illegally owned firearms in Karamoja sub-region. In a telephone interview with The New Vision, the spokesman of the 3rd Division, Captain Henry Obbo said 18 of the guns were recovered after the infantry supported by a reconnaissance helicopter raided Morungole mountains in Kaabong District. Obbo said one warrior... ( gunpolicy.org )
Yemen, Somalia, Australia, Denmark
Australians, Dane Among Gang Smuggling Guns from Yemen to Somalia
Yemen Times
2 March 2008
SANA'A -- Two men, Abdi Othman Soli, 28, a Danish citizen of Somali origin, and Abdullah Awadh Al-Masri, 37, a Yemeni national, were found not guilty this week of smuggling weapons to Somalia in 2006. However, the court gave Al-Masri a three-year prison sentence for other charges such as working with and providing shelter for Al-Qaeda operatives and illegal weapons trading. Among other accusations, the two suspects were tried for... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
In Bid to Curb Vendettas, Kenyan Police Swap Handguns for Assault Rifles
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
23 February 2008
Junior police officers in Nyanza have been ordered to surrender all small arms assigned to them. The directive comes amid fears of misuse of the weapons to settle vendettas in the police force. Local Provincial Police Officer (PPO), Mr. Anthony Kibuchi, confirmed that he had issued the order that pistols issued to junior officers be returned to respective armories adding that even under cover officers would be given assault... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
'Shoot First' Law Gives Texans Unprecedented Right to Kill Suspects
ABC News (USA)
21 February 2008
In Texas, more than ever before, burglars and thieves are on notice. From a quiet street in an upscale neighborhood outside Houston to a junk-strewn yard on the other side of the tracks, some Texans are shooting first and asking questions later. In the Lone Star state, where the six-gun tamed the frontier, shooting bad guys is a time-honored tradition. But a new state law, based on the old idea that "a man's home is his... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
Burundi Police Search House-to-house in Campaign to Disarm Civilians
Burundi Réalités (Bujumbura)
15 February 2008
BUJUMBURA -- The police have continued the ongoing process of disarming civilians in different quarters of Bujumbura. Today, the police carried out a house-to-house search in Buyenzi commune. The police caught two grenades and many smuggled objects. The police are determined to continue this disarmament although there is a commission with the same aims. This commission was set up in 2006 but the lack of funds thwarted its activities.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Mob Breaks Into Kenyan Police Armoury, Steals 12 Guns, Kills Officer
East African Standard (Nairobi)
2 February 2008
NAIROBI -- Four people, including a police officer, were killed in Kericho as arsonists struck at residential estates following the slaying of Ainamoi MP David Kimutai Too. Three of them were shot dead by an Administration Police officer, who was later burnt alive by a mob that broke into an armoury at Ainamoi district officer's office and stole 12 firearms and ammunition. The incident occurred on Thursday night -- the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Germany
German Gun Maker Heckler & Koch Supplied Weapons Used in Kenya Crisis
African Executive (Nairobi)
1 February 2008
Hundreds of people have been killed during the recent post-election unrest in Kenya, many of them from bullet wounds. The UN-news-agency IRIN reported that in Kisumu alone, 44 people were shot dead, some of them apparently in the back on escaping. Many pictures from the fighting scenes carry the G3 assault-rifle of Heckler & Koch (H&K), the standard weapon of the Kenyan army and police for more than thirty years. According to the well-informed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
Survey Estimates 100,000 Illegal Guns, Small Arms in Burundi
Burundi Réalités (Bujumbura)
17 January 2008
BUJUMBURA -- More than a hundred thousand small arms continue to flow into Burundi. This was reported in a study jointly carried out by leading local human rights organizations, Ligue Iteka, and the Small Arms Survey. In the study, these two organisations indicate that most of these arms come from the Democratic Republic of Congo where fighting continues. These weapons were carried into Burundi by civilians after the government... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan, Uganda, Kenya
Uganda, Kenya, Sudan in Talks Over Arms Trafficking in Karamoja Region
Monitor (Kampala)
15 January 2008
Security chiefs from the governments of Uganda and South Sudan have started discussions to end the long persistent arms trafficking in the region. According to the UPDF, the strategy is aimed at reducing gun flow in to Karamoja region and to ensure that the UPDF disarmament exercise achieves the 100 per cent result for peace in Karamoja. The UPDF and local leaders in Karamoja region have on several occasions hinted that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan, Uganda, Kenya
Ugandan Military Announce Arrest of Gun Runner Sought for Past 5 Years
Monitor (Kampala)
13 January 2008
KARAMOJA -- The UPDF's special intelligence squad against arms trafficking in Karamoja region have arrested a leading arms trafficker in Uganda and Kenya. Livingstone Musoba, a Kenyan from Kipsongo, Kitale village whom both the Ugandan and Kenyan authorities have been hunting for five years was arrested on Tuesday in Uganda. Information reaching Sunday Monitor indicates that Simon Cheprikei from Serendeti in Bukwo, who... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi
In Burundi, 100,000 Homes Contain Illegal Guns - Small Arms Survey
Afrique en ligne / Panapress
12 January 2008
BUJUMBURA, Burundi -- About 100,000 Burundian households are thought to illegally hold small arms, light weapons or grenades, a joint report by the National Human Rights' League (called Iteka in the local kirundi dialect) and the Swiss NGO "Small arms survey", says. The report, titled "Small Arms in Burundi: after peace, the challenge of civil disarmament", is based on a survey conducted among 3,000 households in six of the 17 provinces... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Sudan
Ugandan Army Warns Refugees Not to Buy Guns Smuggled in from Sudan
New Vision (Kampala)
3 January 2008
The army has warned the internally displaced persons (IDPs) living on the border of southern Sudan and Karamoja, currently returning to their homes, against the buying and selling of military hardware. There has been an influx of guns and other military hardware from southern Sudan and Karamoja into some parts of Acholi sub-region. This is especially so along the border in Agoro and Orom sub-counties in Kitgum district. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Sudan
Disarmament Crisis Over Rising Gun Trade in Uganda's Karamoja Region
Monitor (Kampala)
31 December 2007
The Government's hopes to get rid of illicit arms in the volatile Karamoja region have suffered a setback following new reports of serious re-armament that is threatening to outstrip disarmament efforts. The failure has been attributed to increased gun trafficking in the area, a profitable business involving even some of the local leaders who bribe authorities to smuggle guns from neghbouring districts. Citing a recent... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, United Nations, Myanmar
UN Gun Destruction Scheme Contributes to Human Rights Abuse in Uganda
America's 1st Freedom, Jan 2008 / National Rifle Association of America, Opinion
20 December 2007
While the United Nations works diligently to curb the Second Amendment rights of Americans, it is turning a blind eye to abused Karamojong tribesmen fighting a brutal government to keep their only means of self-defense. International gun prohibition groups are working hard and successfully to push an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) through the United Nations. They claim that the reason the treaty is needed is that arms are often used to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Uganda
Guns, Cattle Rustling Open Door to Wives and Wealth in Kenya, Uganda
East African (Nairobi)
16 December 2007
At only 34 years old, Lesekori Lemui is already a father of 19 from four wives. His eldest offspring is a 17-year old son. What prompted him to start having children so early? At the tender age of 14, he was the proud owner of 20 heads of cattle, including 12 bulls acquired through cattle rustling. Two years later, that figure had grown sixfold. Owning such a big herd, in Lemui's community, the Pokot, is affluence in itself.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ethiopia
Ethiopia Destroys 10,000 Illegal Handguns Seized, Surrendered to Police
Sudan Tribune
8 December 2007
ADDIS ABABA -- The Ethiopia Authorities today said, they have set 13,000 illicit small arms on fire which are recovered by the police over the past year in an on going effort to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons in the horn of Africa and the Great lakes region. Addis Ababa police, in a statement released on Friday, said the fire arms have been recovered from criminals, gang groups and from voluntarily surrendered by members... ( gunpolicy.org )
Madagascar
Madagascar Bans Toy Guns, Replica Military Guns for Christmas
BBC News / Antananarivo
4 December 2007
The Madagascar authorities have launched a crackdown on toy guns and other fake military equipment in the run-up to Christmas. Police chief Colonel Richard Ravalomanana says the ban is part of the fight against insecurity. He says criminals use toy guns and neither the police, nor the public, know whether they are fake or real. But some have condemned the move, which has seen military-style schoolbags and even... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Police 'Untrained,' Carry AK-47s, Commit Human Rights Abuses
Monitor (Kampala)
19 November 2007
The 1,000-plus men and women wearing the monogrammed uniform and totting Kalashnikov assault rifles on Kampala's streets received inadequate training. They may not only be ill-equipped to protect human rights, but may also commit human rights abuses Against a backdrop of public anxiety, and anger in some instances, about the latest addition to the security forces, it has emerged that key observations about how the Special Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, United Nations
Ugandan Military Explodes Tonnes of Old Munitions with UN, US Help
ReliefWeb, Media release
8 November 2007
KINSHASA, Uganda -- UNV volunteers have helped the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces to blow up more than 460 tonnes of decommissioned, redundant and obsolete ammunition and ordinances. The event was the largest of its kind in the country and comprised an assortment of bombs, rockets, grenades, shells and bullets that were destroyed in a series of massive explosions of 10-15 tonnes of material at a time. UNV helped organise... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Civilians Own Two Thirds of Uganda's Firearms: Gun Control Campaigners
Monitor (Kampala)
4 November 2007
KAMPALA -- Civilians carry 65 per cent of the fire arms in Uganda, a senior official of the Uganda Joint Christian Council has said. Canon Joyce Nima made the remarks last week while delivering a paper at a seminar on small arms in Kampala. "Among those with arms are the militias yet they are not supposed to have guns at all because they are civilians," she said. The seminar, that mainly targeted media practitioners, was... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Activists Call for Tougher, Harmonised East African Gun Laws
New Vision (Kampala)
30 October 2007
KAMPALA -- Stringent laws are needed to address the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the East African region, activists have advised. "We have designed a draft proposal that will see a new firearms Act coming into force soon," said Richard Mugisha, the chairperson of Uganda Action Network on Small Arms. Addressing editors at a workshop at Hotel Equatoria in Kampala recently, Mugisha called for the harmonisation... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Gun Running Into Kenya: Govt Must Close the Loopholes Urgently
Nation (Nairobi), Editorial
22 October 2007
The report on the proliferation of small arms, especially hand grenades capable of killing tens of innocent people with one casual toss, is chilling enough. But when it is considered that the modern crook has not only become more sophisticated, but also more ruthless, the report should be enough to arouse great consternation among the public and it is a matter that should be addressed with all deliberate haste. It is acknowledged... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mozambique
Mozambique Men Charged With Gun Running, Selling Submachine Gun
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
22 October 2007
MAPUTO -- The Mozambican police arrested two illegal arms dealers in the Gorongosa district, in the central Sofala province recently, reports Friday's issue of the daily 'Noticias'. Tomas Estevao Cadapita, 39, and Luis Manuel Voque, 43, were caught red-handed while trying to sell a sub-machine gun, a mortar shell and a grenade, presumably coming from a base of the former rebel movement Renamo in the Maringue district, where Renamo... ( gunpolicy.org )
World, Kenya, Africa, United Nations, United Kingdom
Baby's Gun Death Sparks Family's Campaign to Curb Global Gun Violence
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
11 October 2007
Four years ago, on a warm summer evening in July 2003, a young Turkish woman was relaxing in a café in the fishing resort of Foca in south-west Turkey, her young son asleep in his pram beside her. Ozlem Grimason had been enjoying a family holiday in her native country with her Scottish husband, David, and their two-year-old son, Alistair. David had just gone back to the couple's home in East Kilbride -- a couple of days early,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mozambique
Mozambique Christian Council Has Now Collected, Destroyed 700,000 Guns
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
7 October 2007
MAPUTO -- The Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM), the umbrella body for the mainstream Protestant churches, says that it has collected about 700,000 firearms since launching its project to "Transform Guns into Hoes", a modern version of the biblical injunction to turn swords into ploughshares. The CCM initiative was launched shortly after the end of the war of detabilisation in 1992. Speaking to AIM on Thursday, during... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Security Guard Kills His 2 Children, Self With Work Shotgun
New Vision (Kampala)
25 September 2007
KAMPALA -- It passes for a Hollywood horror movie in which a man picks a gun, shoots his two children and turns the gun on himself. But the morning incident in which a guard shot dead his two children before ending his own life yesterday was far from a movie. Robert Ojala, attached to Alert Guards, a private security firm based in kampala, grabbed his pump-action gun and shot his two children in Kakajjo II Zone Kisenyi, a city slum.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Traffic Police Should Carry Guns Against Motorist Attacks - Chief
Monitor (Kampala)
19 September 2007
MASINDI, Kampala -- If Police chief Kale Kayihura gets his way, traffic police officers will soon carry guns while on duty to protect themselves against what he calls "attacks from errant motor drivers." Speaking in Masindi District at the pass out of 1,073 Special Police Constables (SPCs), the inspector general of police said keeping unarmed traffic officers on the road for long hours puts them at risk of being attacked by unruly... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, Africa
Illegal Guns, Gun Running Remain Serious Threats to Africa's Security
South African Broadcasting Corporation
17 September 2007
The proliferation of small arms and light weapons continues to pose threat to people's lives in countries in the Great Lakes region, the Horn of Africa and bordering states. The biggest challenge these countries face are porous borders of African countries. Several arms have been confiscated by the Regional Centre on Small Arms (Recsa), an inter-governmental organisation coordinating the fight against the proliferation of illicit... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Soldiers Supply Ammunition to Karamojong Warriors - Report
Monitor (Kampala)
31 August 2007
KAMPALA -- Ugandan regular and auxiliary forces are a source of ammunition for the Karimojong, according to the Small Arms Survey 2007 released on Wednesday. Karamoja has the highest proliferation of small arms in the country and currently the army is in the sub region carrying out a disarmament exercise. Chapter 9 of this year's Small Arms Survey was designed to compare the stocks of ammunition in the hands of various... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Uganda's Speaker Warns MPs Not to Carry Guns in Parliament Building
New Vision (Kampala)
30 August 2007
KAMPALA -- The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, has warned MPs against carrying guns to Parliament, saying it is contrary to the procedures. "This practice should stop whether you have a licence or not," he stressed. According to the procedures, all firearms must be deposited at the armouries at the entries. Ssekandi was yesterday responding to Patrick Amuriat's (Kumi county) complaint that some members... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Uganda Restricts Gun Imports by Private Security Firms Following Leakage
New Vision (Kampala)
29 August 2007
KAMPALA -- The Government has restricted the import of firearms by private security organisations in a bid to control the number of guns brought into the country. Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, the Inspector General of Police, said some of the guns that were imported were sold to private citizens. "From around 1996, it became a fashion for some wealthy people to own pistols. If you did not possess one, you were seen as someone... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mozambique
Mozambique Army Debates Strategies to Curb Proliferation of Illicit Guns
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
21 August 2007
MAPUTO -- There is under way in Maputo a four day seminar on "Small Arms and Light Weapons" that seeks to address the problem of illicit fire weapons proliferation in Mozambique and in the South African sub-region. There is huge number of illegal arms still circulating across the country, a legacy of Mozambique's 16-year civil war that ended in 1992. Speaking during the opening ceremony, permanent secretary of the Defense... ( gunpolicy.org )
Burundi, Congo (DRC), United Nations, World
Burundi Massacre Reminds World of the Need for a Global Gun Trade Treaty
Nation (Nairobi), Opinion
17 August 2007
The events that happened exactly three years ago on that date will always haunt me. I was accustomed to starting the day with the morning radio bulletin -- which rarely bore good tidings in Burundi where I was working at the time -- but nothing prepared me for the bloody events that had occurred during the night. One hundred and fifty six refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, mostly women and children, including a three-month-old... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tanzania, Kenya, Africa
East and Central African Nations Meet to Coordinate Gun Control Laws
Guardian (Dar es Salaam)
11 August 2007
ADDIS ABABA -- Tanzania is among five countries in eastern Africa that have made much progress in streamlining national laws and regulations on the control of firearms and ammunition, according to a regional intergovernmental watchdog. However, all countries of the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa need a broader strategy and strong legislation to deal with the public security challenge that is posed by the proliferation... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa
Kenya Calls for Stronger Laws to Curb Proliferation of Illegal Guns
IRIN (UN News)
10 August 2007
NAIROBI -- The Kenyan government is grappling with rampant trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons but needs to pass tougher laws to contain the problem, officials said. "It is really hard to fight against because we do not know precisely where these arms are," Peter Munya, assistant minister for internal affairs, said on 10 August. "It also remains really hard to estimate how many of these illegal arms are circulating... ( gunpolicy.org )
Malawi
Malawi a Target for Gun Trafficking, Promises Curbs on Firearm Smuggling
Afrol News
27 July 2007
The geographical location of Malawi has threatened the country's peace and stability as evidenced by the proliferation of small firearms from its troubled neighbouring countries. And according to Malawian deputy Home Affairs of Malawi, Symon Vuwa Kaunda, this is the reason why the country has become a target route for small firearms trafficking and small firearms related crimes. Mr Kaunda delivered the speech during the commemoration... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Govt Destroys 34,000 Rounds of Ammunition Dug Up at Brickworks
New Vision (Kampala)
25 July 2007
About 34,040 bullets were burnt at Kigo Prison yesterday. A team of explosive experts, led by the Anti-Terrorism Unit assistant commissioner of Police, Abas Byakagaba, constructed the six incinerators that were used to destroy the ammunition. The bullets were discovered in September 2006 by a 72-year-old brickmaker, Falasiko Ssentumbwe, the Kakola LC1 defence secretary and his assistant only identified as Mutoro in Kakola village,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenyan Authorities Say Gun Law, Enforcement, Penalties Need Toughening
East African Standard (Nairobi)
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,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenya Police Want Govt to Review, Stiffen Gun Law, Gun Crime Penalties
Kenya Times
24 July 2007
The Kenya police has decried the leniency of penalties meted out to offenders of illicit weapons and called for a comprehensive review of the Firearms Act Cap 114 with an aim of imposing harsher penalties to criminals. The Director of Operations David Kimaiyo said yesterday the Act is outdated, hence the need for a drastic review that would mete out harsher penalties to offenders of illicit firearms. "It is the considered... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Nairobi Police Arrest Health Ministry Employee in Gun Trafficking Sting
Nation (Nairobi)
24 July 2007
NAIROBI -- A Ministry of Health employee has been arrested in Webuye on suspicion of trading in firearms. Police yesterday laid a trap for the clinical officer attached to Webuye hospital after a tip-off and allegedly found a pistol in his possession. According to Webuye East district commissioner Julius Ngumo, police approached the health worker and asked to buy a firearm. The clinical officer, believing that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
No Mr President, Illegal Guns Have Not Yet Gone Silent in Kenya
East African Standard (Nairobi), Editorial
22 July 2007
The Government is upbeat the war against the proliferation of small arms is about to be won. The President said as much on Friday. His message was laden with optimism and he used the occasion first, cases of banditry in northern Kenya had gone down. Second, he commended the Armed Forces for its role in the recent disarmament programme. Third, and which shows there is still a lot to be done, he again told the peddlers and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya, East Africa
East Africa, Great Lakes Nations Pledge Laws to Fight Spread of Illegal Guns
African Press Agency
20 July 2007
Harmonizing laws across East Africa and the Great Lakes region will enable governments to better fight the spread of small arms and light weapons, a regional workshop resolved on Friday. In a communiqué issued in Nairobi, the Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA) said the harmonization of laws would stem what it termed as "astronomical proliferation" of light weapons such as assault riffles and pistols in the region. At... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Government Acknowledges 'Astronomical Proliferation' of Guns in Kenya
Voice of America
19 July 2007
NAIROBI -- Kenya's attorney general acknowledged Thursday that his country has seen what he called an astronomical proliferation of light weapons such as assault rifles and pistols. As Nick Wadhams reports from Nairobi, the trend in Kenya underscores the difficulty that African nations have had stemming the flow of small arms, which are used in conflicts across the continent. Attorney General Amos Wako made the remarks during a... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Kenyan Military 'Forcefully Collected' 3,000 Guns in North Rift Disarmament
East African Standard (Nairobi)
19 July 2007
The Government has recovered more than 3,200 illegal firearms in North Rift. Rift-Valley Provincial Commissioner Mr Hassan Noor Hassan said about 3,000 assortments of guns were forcefully collected during the first phase of the disarmament exercise launched last year. The administrator said residents surrendered the rest of the guns in the second phase of the disarmament. Late last year, Government suspended the exercise... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Ugandan Army Destroys 450 Guns Seized from Karamojong Pastoralists
New Vision (Kampala)
3 July 2007
The Uganda People's Defence Forces on Monday destroyed 452 guns recovered from Karimojong warriors during the disarmament exercise in the region. The function was presided over by Dr Crispus Kiyonga, the defence minister, at Kotido Court Hall. The guns included 355 SFG rifles, 61 self-automatic rifles, nine G3s, 19 NATOs, three Mark Four's and three LMGs. Col. Patrick Kankiriho, the 3rd Division commander, said... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Church Campaign Pushes Gun Amnesty, Destruction of Firearms in Uganda
New Vision (Kampala)
28 June 2007
KAMPALA -- The Justice Peace and Human Rights Commission of Arua Diocese has launched a six-month project to fight the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the district. The project officer, David Okello, said the programme funded by the German Technical Services, would encourage the voluntary return of illicit arms through awareness campaigns. He said they would also advocate for the proper use of arms held... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tanzania
Tanzanian Villager Caught With Illegal Submachine Gun, Jailed for 15 Years
Daily News (Tanzania)
15 June 2007
BUKOBA -- A resident of Lusahunga Village, in Biharamulo District, Philbert Kanyanya (32), was yesterday sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Bukoba Resident Magistrate's Court after he was convicted of unlawful possession of a sub-machine gun (SMG) with 29 rounds of ammunition. Prosecuting, Police Inspector Shaweji Alawi told Kagera Resident Magistrate Wilbard Mashauri that on August 25, 2005, the accused together with another... ( gunpolicy.org )
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