Investigations by the Interior ministry and the National Intelligence Services (NIS) showed that some civilians were charged as much as Sh200,000 for a certificate, yet a civilian who follows the legitimate process pays only Sh2,000. An audit ordered by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i also showed that the board did not harmonise and update the dealer and civilian firearms registry, exposing the country to the risk of not being able to detect illegal firearms.
“This is what angered the CS and forced him to disband the board. He realised that there were so many gaps in record keeping, yet people still managed to acquire certificates by paying bribes,” a source close to Dr Matiang’i told the Nation.
Section 45 of the Firearms Act (Cap 114) gives the Cabinet secretary powers to establish and maintain a central registry of firearms and ammunition and also regulate the manner in which licensing officers and other officers carry out their duties.