The National Gun Owners Association (NGAO-K) Conducted a Know Your Gun Laws seminar on Saturday, July 25, at the Kirigiti shooting range pavilion in Kiambu County.
The seminar which was attended by over 100 gun owners, physically and virtually via zoom, saw participants taken through among other topics justifiable instances for use of a firearm by civilian licensed firearm holders, rules of engagement and use of force continuum, rights and obligations, consequences of use and abuse of a firearm, offences related to misuse of firearms, instances, incidents and case law, legal gaps and public safety.
The keynote speakers at the event were Amnesty International Executive Director Houghton Irungu, State Prosecutor Wangui Gichuhi - representing DPP Noordin Hajj, Catherine Mwaniki - Head of homicide at the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Senior counsel James Ochieng Oduol, as well as Judicial officers from the Judiciary.
Mr. Irungu noted that the number of random, and criminal use of lethal weapons has increased in the country.
“The right to life is a cardinal value in every community. Access to a lethal weapon is not a right. It is a privilege that must be exercised to protect, and not to take away lives. NGAO-K plays a key role in safe guarding that privilege.” Said Houghton Irungu.
“The recent use of lethal force, by judges, businessmen, and politicians, among others, suggests that it is time to look at the issue through a human rights lens and perhaps revisit the 2012 firearms act.” He voiced.
The speakers pointed out that corruption and impunity continue to undermine the gun registration process, in the sense that there are too many gun owners who prefer to bribe their way to possessing their guns rather than following the right channel.
A lot of them are mentally unstable, insufficiently trained, and some have criminal intentions.
NGAO-K has taken an initiative to train licensed firearm holders on gun safety and responsible use of firearms, which they mostly do through seminars and shooting sports.
NGAO-K is also involved in numerous Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. In the Covid-19 pandemic, the association in partnership with the Ministry of Health has through their Covid-19 awareness Trainers of Trainers (TOTs) been entrusted with conducting Covid19 awareness training to police officers countrywide.
The exercise which has been running for 3 months now, has been made possible by the NGAO-K members own contributions, and support from well-wishers.
Currently, there is no law that stipulates the number of firearms a gun owner can possess. However, guns like the AK 47, G3 and MP5 cannot be issued to civilians.
There is a proposed amendment statute law (miscellaneous amendments) bill 2015 which provides for life imprisonment for those found in possession of such automatic firearms.
The Know Your Gun Laws event was sponsored by The Standard Group, NGAO-K, Silverspread pipes, Chairmania, Livia Dawa App, My ISP and Lusona events.
In attendance was the NGAO-K chairman Anthony Wahome, Vice Chairman Sammy Onyango, and several NGAO-K members
