The Firearms Act regulates ownership of guns in Kenya. [Photo/imagefully.com]
Owning a gun a Kenya is often seen as a preserve of the wealthy and the powerful political class.
Often times, a gun scuffle has ensued in public, and it usually involves a specific class of people. Here are some things you need to know about owning a gun in this country.
First, you have to be over 21 years of age. Forget 18, the real gun-carrying adults are all over 21.
You need to have training on the use of small arms and in the process, get a certificate showing that you are indeed trained and capable of handling a firearm.
Guns such as Ak47, G3 and MP5 cannot be issued to civilians. The Kenya Firearms Act stipulates the following regulations for owning a gun.
One is supposed to get clearance from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations as well as fill a form with the Kenya Firearms Act.
Each applicant is then vetted by the District Security Intelligence Committee before being approved or rejected.
The list of those vetted and cleared is then forwarded to the Inspector General of Police who has the final authority to instruct the Chief Licensing officer to clear the applicant.
Where a license holder is believed to be a threat to public safety and peace, police would be justified in revoking their license.
In granting the licence, licensing officers at the Central Firearms Bureau largely depend on the recommendations of the vetting panel.
If a licensed gun holder dies, the gun cannot be transferred to another person or to the next of kin. It ought to be surrendered to the nearest police station and if a family member is interested in getting it, they ought to go through the process of rigorous vetting to get a license of their own.
The Firearms Act is found in Chapter 114 of the constitution.