Police Suspends Private Gun Licensing
Police has placed a moratorium on private gun licensing. The moratorium announced this morning at the Central Police Station comes into effect immediately.
Speaking to the press this morning, Police Spokesperson Emilian Kayima said the move was to account for the number of guns in private hands and help the force decide on what step to take next with privately held firearms.
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In 2017, police reported that nearly 19,000 guns were in private hands majority of them held by businessmen and politicians. The force also let out 16,000 of their guns to private security companies
The number of guns in private hands raises very stern questions in a country with the highest gun related crimes in the region.
For four years of 2010 to 2014, there were 34,512 reported gun related crimes in Uganda.
Nearly two times higher than Burundi’s which recorded 11,388 crimes.
“We are looking at whether these guns actually guarantee security and what options we have for the people who hold them” said Emilian Kayima, the Police Spokesperson
The gun debate in Uganda reached fever peak when former Police Spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi was brutally gunned down metres from his home. Following the incident, the Police Flying Squad compiled and released a report on gun related crimes showing areas like Lira had the highest gun crimes rates in the country.
The moratorium is also indefinite.
