This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
July 11, 2020 - Nairobi, Kenya - The National Gun Owners Association (NGOA) has called for the formulation of a policy to regulate the number of guns licensed firearm holders can have.
NGOA Chairperson Anthony Wahome emphasized that the current Firearm Act does not specify the number of guns an individual can own, leaving it to the discretion of the Firearm Licensing Board.
Wahome cited the example of the United States, where thousands of lives are lost annually due to gun violence, and expressed concern that a similar crisis could occur in Kenya.
According to a 2017 survey, 40% of Americans either own a gun or live in a household where there is one, and the country loses approximately 11,000 lives to murder or manslaughter involving a firearm each year.
Wahome also highlighted the need for a law that explicitly provides circumstances when a licensed firearm holder is allowed to use a gun, as it is currently left to the police or the court to interpret.
