The Ministry of Internal Affairs seeks to amend the 1970 Guns Control Act for a nationwide gun registration exercise.
KAMPALA, UGANDA – The Ministry of Internal Affairs has appealed to Parliament to amend the existing Gun Control Act to facilitate a successful nationwide gun registration exercise. The current law, enacted in 1970, requires updating to align with present-day security realities.
During a press conference at the Media Centre, Assistant Police Commander Florence Kirabira announced that the ministry has already submitted proposed amendments to the Attorney General for review. The revisions include provisions to strengthen penalties for firearm-related offences.
A report by the African Union highlighted the severity of the situation, indicating that 40 million guns in the country have been obtained illegally. Only 5% of firearms are registered to government security agencies, a factor that has significantly impacted national security.
The Parliamentary Defence Committee has repeatedly urged the government to establish a clear, nationwide firearm registration policy to address the rising incidents of violent killings.
Also speaking at the briefing, Simon Mundeyi, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, launched the African Amnesty Month initiative. He called on the public to voluntarily surrender illegal firearms without facing penalties. The exercise is scheduled to take place from the 2nd to the 3rd of next month.
