Matiang'i Disbands Firearms Board, Orders All Licensed Guns in Kenya Returned

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has disbanded the Firearms Licensing and Control Board and ordered all licensed guns be returned.

Matiang'i says the move comes after discussions with the National Security Advisory Committee, which is chaired by the President.

Matiang'i says the board will reconstituted and all firearm holders will be vetted anew before being issued with licenses. “We are in the process of reverting all Firearms in the view of security and safety,” says Matiang'i.

Matiang'i  notes that the process of licensing has been marred by corruption leading to issuance of firearms to criminals.

"A new board will be constituted soon. Anyone who does not get the new certificate will be regarded as having an illegal firearm,” he notes adding that a crackdown on illegal firearms will be launched soon.

Matiang'i has also announced that officers attached to the Kenya Police Reserve will be trained on how to handle guns.

"When we give guns to people who support our efforts, especially in stock theft prone areas, we will need to train them so they do not go overboard...In the next one year, we will have a record of anyone who is a KPR so that we do not have militias in the name of KPRs because firearms could be misused," he says.