Murder by shooting: Why is there no end to gun violence?

KAMPALA | Uganda’s increase in gun violence has left many wondering why the vice has continued even after the government employed several measures to curb it.

Over the years disarmament, gun marking, and identification of guns in wrong hands has taken place but to this is insisting.

The police annual report indicates 330 people shot dead in the year 2023. Of these 30 cases were not reported to police.

Those killed include 298 male adults, 25 female adults, six male juveniles and one female juvenile.

A year later, at least 170 cases are still under inquiry with 73 not proceeded with while 57 cases were taken to the courts of law.

Simon Mulongo, a security expert, blames the situation on looseness in enforcement of the regulation of access to guns.

"Laxity in regulation to access and use of guns. Some installations and public security have not been strict with the use of guns," Mulongo said.

The cases are distributed with the highest committed murders indicated on the Map of Uganda as Kidepo region with 57, Mt Moroto with 54 cases, Aswa region 32 cases and Kampala metropolitan with 44.

Mulongo explains that for reasons some which are political groups of individuals even without training have ended up with guns in their hands coupled with distressed communities.

" Use of guns to procure political submission for instance some of the events in 2021 where the country witnessed confrontation between NUP and NRM," he said.

"The level of training of some individuals is lacking but you find then with licenses to the guns."

Former Shadow minister for internal affairs Abdallah Kiwanuka and former MP Kaps Fungaroo who argue that more than 60,000 fire arms are in private security say the distress among their officers come with abuse of the arms.

"If security guarding the well to do continue to live in the poorest of life. Cases of shooting will continue," Kiwanuka said.

"There is more inequality in the justice system this has disallowed many from trust. Then this is how they seek redress."

While the distress is not limited to private security arms, discipline and questions of mental health and law enforcers involvement in crime.