There are about 600,000 illegally owned firearms in Kenya, a study by Kenya National Focal Point and Small Arms Survey has revealed.
According to the Regional Centre on Small Arms, 75 percent of the 875 million firearms that are owned illegally in the world are in the East African region with the number in Kenya lying between 530,000 and 680,000 The Star reports.
The director of Kenya National Focal Point William Saiya has said the government’s disarmament project has so far confiscated 5,000 illegal firearms since 2011.
Saiya further highlights that they have started the marking of state-owned firearms ranging from those used by KWS to those of KDF to enhance traceability and accountability of the arms.
So far 90 percent of firearms have been marked with a possibility of extending the exercise to civilian owned firearms.
