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{
    "id": 573366,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/573366/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 197,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Dr.) Munyaka",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 86,
        "legal_name": "Victor Kioko Munyaka",
        "slug": "victor-munyaka"
    },
    "content": "The Government has been having a lot of problems in dealing with illegal guns. It is a major crisis because most guns are cheap and readily available. The life of a gun is usually very long such that somebody can keep one and use it to terrorise communities for a very long time. Most of the guns are concealable. Due to this fact, somebody can transport a gun without anybody noticing. Most guns are acquired legally, especially by the Government for purposes of defence, security and maintaining law and order. Most private gun owners purchase their guns from authorised dealers once they get licenced by the Government. Illegal gun owners acquire guns through illegal traffickers. During conflicts, many guns get into the hands of communities and are transported across countries and used to cause chaos in the surrounding countries. For example, we understand that most of the illegal guns in Kenya found their way from Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and other neighbouring countries because of the porous nature of our borders. The Government has been trying to control and mop up illegal guns, but the process has been so difficult because most of the communities who keep guns use them for self-defence and protection. Most of those areas like West Pokot and Turkana have minimal Government security and so, guns are very dear to the communities. They retain them for self-defence. The Government has tried to forcibly mop up illegal guns but the process has been so difficult because the communities are not ready to surrender them. The Government has also offered amnesty to encourage people to surrender illegal guns. However, the most practical method of trying to get illegal guns from communities would be to create a system where the illegal gun owners can own the guns legally. If all illegal gun owners, especially in communities which use the guns for self-defence, agree to have their guns registered, tracking devices would be fitted in the guns to ensure self-responsibility. That is an approach the Government is currently trying to use, especially in the communities that own guns illegally. I believe that is an opportunity for the Government to understand how many guns are in Kenya illegally. The Government can be at peace once people surrender the guns, they are registered and fitted with tracking devices, so that they can become responsible communities."
}