Where are the 4,000 gun holders who failed to be vetted?

Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of more than 4,407 gun holders who cannot be traced.

Even as the Government revealed that thousands of gun holders did not turn up for vetting, some of those affected claim their licenses are still valid and that until they are revoked, they will not surrender them.

Insiders believe the group could be among those who had been issued with fake certificates by a cartel that had been running at the Firearms Licensing Board.

Gun regulations

Regulations require that each licensed gun owner have a file, but the system was manipulated to the extent that several people shared the same file while some serial numbers were similar.

This led to the production of parallel firearm registers-booklets that authorise one to purchase a gun and ammunition from a dealer before the certificate is issued.

The old firearm registers are now obsolete and will be rendered useless by August 1 when new digital identification documents are rolled out.

Last week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i gave the 4,407 gun holders a week to submit their weapons for verification by the Government.

The CS said after the deadline lapses, the gun holders will be treated as “armed and dangerous” criminals who will be pursued by the police.

“Out of the 13,805 registered firearm holders, 9,398 were vetted while 4,407 did not turn up. I have asked the Inspector General of police to look for them,” said Matiang’i.

The Firearms Licensing Board conducted the vetting before handing its report last Friday to the CS and Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai.

Dr Matiang’i also announced a raft of new measures to stop misuse of firearms.

Among them is regulating the number of firearm dealers, hunting down gun holders who did not turn up for vetting and requiring that firearm holders display their certificates before entering public premises.

According to Mutyambai, after August 1, all firearm holders will be required to display their certificates before entering public premises.

“Private security at the premises should be able to confirm that you are licensed (to carry a firearm),” he said.

President Kenyatta ordered the vetting which was conducted in three phases between February 4 and May 30 2019.

The vetting was meant to address the procedural improprieties in the issuance and licensing of firearms.

“The reason His Excellency the President ordered this to be done and why the National Security Advisory Committee and other Security Agencies have been keen to ensure that this exercise is completed, is because we want to deal with the various aspects related to crime in the country. Because we now have a comprehensive digital record of licensed firearms, it means solving crimes will be more efficient,” said Matiang’i.

Cleared firearms

The board cleared 9, 586 firearms to be held by civilians. Nairobi has the highest number of firearms held by civilians at 4, 008 followed by South Rift (1,461), Central (1,102) Coast (1, 071), Upper Eastern (869), Nyanza (436), North Rift (323), Western (163) and North Eastern (153).

The Board certified 6, 958 firearm holders across the country. Again, Nairobi with 2,733 had the lion’s share, followed by South Rift (1,023), Central (872), Coast (757) Upper Eastern (686), Nyanza (343), North Rift (271) Western (146) and North Eastern (127).