Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has broken his silence about the one thing that shocked him the most during the recently concluded private firearms vetting.
While addressing the press alongside Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai on Friday, the tough-talking CS could not believe that they had recovered over 21,000 rounds of ammunition from the wrong hands during the exercise.
He further clarified that the bullets were in the hands of illegal holders and that a huge chunk of unscrupulous people had not shown up for the exercise.
"What shocked me when I received the brief this morning is that in that process the board was able to withdraw 21,732 rounds of ammunition.
"In other words, we collected 21,000 bullets that were in the hands of people who ought not to have them," he regretted.
He further announced that after the exercise was concluded, the Firearms Licensing Board revoked licences of 13 gun dealers in the country out of the 33 that are registered.
Out of the 13,805 registered firearm holders in the country, only 9,398 appeared before the board for vetting leaving some 4,407 unaccounted for.
With the revelations, the CS gave them only seven days to appear before the board vowing to unleash war on them.
"I am asking, and we have had a discussion with the inspector general of police, that we now move forward to mop up and have these 4,407 people," he continued.
1,493 firearms were withdrawn during the exercise.
Mutyambai, who also spoke at the event, unveiled a new red-coloured license that all private gun holders will be expected to possess.
"From August 1 this year, all private firearm holders will be expected to show the certificate of holder wherever they will be going into premises including the supermarkets," he declared.
