Govt set to implement policies against firearms

Ministry of Interior and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has said the government is set to implement policies set aside against small arms and light weapons as the country nears completion of marking of firearms and ammunition.

Omollo in a speech read on his behalf by Secretary in charge of Internal Security Wilson Njenga during a Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) workshop in Nairobi added if the policies are implemented they will enhance and promote peace and help curb illegal transfer and reduce illicit trade.

“It is our pleasure as the Government to see a number of member states visiting Kenya for the regional validation workshop on the assessment of gender transformative approaches and gender policy in the implementation of arms regulation instruments and I urge you to continue collaborating with each other to promote peace and security,” Omollo said.

PS Omollo further said that small arms and light weapons are some of the key threats to peace and security in the modern day world and implementing such policies set aside will reduce violence in the society and more so lead to a more secure environment.

The exercise part of the efforts to combat the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons and promote peace and security in East and Central Africa.

The workshop by RESCA is being hosted by the Kenya Government and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already deployed its Software Tracing System to its members issued for electronic record keeping.

According to the intergovernmental agency, the workshop is intended to review and adopt a new gender policy for RECSA as part of the efforts to align its operations with global efforts to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment across the scope of its mandate.

The three-day workshop is set to validate findings from the latest review on the progress of the exercise.
In his final remarks PS Omollo thanked all participants and delegates from different countries for coming to Kenya and participating in the Regional Centre for Small Arms and Light Weapons (RESCA).