All firearm holders who skipped vetting are now in hot water after IG Hillary Mutyambai ordered a crackdown against them.
In a letter shared through the National Police Service's social media handles on Friday, the IG ordered all regional commanders to begin recovering the firearms estimated to be 4,293 in number.
The letter dated July 5, 2019, further indicated that in cases where the gun's holder is deceased, their kin have up to 24 hours to take the weapon to the nearest police station.
"There are, therefore, 4,293 gun owners who are deemed to be in illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. As such, the owners of these weapons will henceforth be treated as armed and dangerous criminals. An operation to apprehend, disarm and charge the culprits will immediately begin.
"I have directed the regional commanders to begin recovering the firearms and make arrests with immediate effects," read part of the statement.
The IG further directed arms dealers to forward any firearms and ammunition that were surrendered by owners to the nearest police station.
"Firearms are not issued as a status symbol... Any licensed firearm holder who shall handle their firearm recklessly and/or carelessly or display them unncessarily to the public, shall have their firearm (s) and license (s) cancelled with immediate effect," warned Mutyambai.
Last week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i had given some 4,407 people a 7-day ultimatum to present their guns, a period which ended on Thursday, July 4, 2019.
During the vetting process, 9,398 registered firearm holders presented themselves before the Firearm Licensing Board out of a total of 13,805.
The board cleared 6,958 holders while 1,493 firearms and 21,732 rounds of ammunition were confiscated.
