State recovers 79 illegal firearms

At least 79 guns and 1,947 rounds of ammunition have been recovered over the last six months following an amnesty by the government.

Yesterday, West Pokot Police Commander Jackson Tumwet urged residents still holding onto illegal firearms to take advantage of the amnesty and surrender them.

Mr Tumwet said: “All these guns and ammunition have been recovered in Pokot Central and Pokot North. The majority were recovered in Pokot Central. None has been recovered from Pokot South. We hope people in Pokot South will heed the government amnesty and surrender their firearms. The numbers recovered are still low".

He reminded the residents that the amnesty period would be over, after which friendly tactics that the government is using to recover the guns would change.

"For now, no one will be arrested. All people need to do is surrender the weapons to the nearest authorities," he said. He spoke to The Standard at his office.