Kenya is Home to Over Half a Million Illegal Firearms

Majority of these arms are said to be in hands of communities living in Northern Kenya, a largely pastoral region.

The report further indicated that the arms were smuggled to the country from the neighbouring countries through different border points.

The arms have been linked to the high level of insecurity in Northern Kenya and increased banditry activities.

In March this year, Kenya unsuccessfully submitted for adoption of the Resolution A/RES/67/234 to the United Nations General Assembly during the final diplomatic Conference that was held in New York from 18th-28th March, 2013 which was meant to finalize the elaboration of the Arms Trade Treaty in an open and transparent manner.

However, on April 2nd, 2013, the UN General Assembly voted in favor of the Arms Trades Treaty, thereby providing a legal mechanism for regulating the international trade in conventional arms from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships with 154 voting for, 3 against and 23 abstentions.

Consequently, the Arms Trades Treaty was then opened for signature on June 3rd, 2013 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Destabilizing arms flow into the country

This was followed by the dualist system in domesticating the treaty. Article 2(6) of the Constitution now incorporates into Kenyan law all treaties ratified by Kenya.

Ratification of treaties is now done after wide consultation with the relevant stakeholders and subsequent approval by Parliament. This due process has commenced in accordance with Kenya’s Treaty Making and Ratification Act.

According to Interior Cabinet Secretary Major (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery, the Arms Trade Treaty will foster peace and security, putting a stop to destabilizing arms flows to conflict areas within the Region, prevent human rights abuse and help to keep criminal cartels, pirates and gangs from acquiring these deadly weapons which have made our region vulnerable.

The impacts of armed violence have devastating consequences in many regions of the world particularly in Africa where most of the violence is characterized by intra-state wars.

The flow of conventional weapons and in particular, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, with which most of the wars are fought today poses a great challenge to peace and stability in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and the Neighboring States where we have witnessed wanton destruction of property, communities dislocated, economic and social development being undermined, among others.

In fact, recent research indicates that every year, an average of 740,000 people are killed in different parts of the world either directly or indirectly through the use of illegal fire arms.

Courtesy: Additional information from Speech by Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery on March 18th, 2015