A political activist in Mombasa has cried foul after his firearm was withdrawn following vetting by the newly constituted Firearm Licencing Board.
Ali Mwatsahu, whose firearm was confiscated when he appeared before the board on Thursday at the Uhuru na Kazi Building, said there are ‘games’ being played by the new board, which he said must be investigated.
The new team has been vetting civilian firearm holders in Mombasa for the past one week.
“I had all the requisite documents but they told me that they could not see my application from my file. I am not the custodian of the file. That is the work of police. Why I’m I being victimised?” posed Mwatsahu.
Mwatsahu says his firearm license is still intact but he has been instructed to apply afresh.
However, the board, chaired by Charles Mukindia, said they are streamlining civilian gun ownership after reports that some of the firearm holders hire them to criminals.
The new team was constituted in November last year, a week after the previous board was disbanded by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i following accusations of inefficiency.
There had been claims of massive corruption in the guns licensing process leading to poor records management in what was also blamed on the rise in firearms misuse.
Mukindia’s team includes David Kahinga, Jackson Kimutai Rotich, Vincent Wahoro, Nancy Kabete, Justin Odhiambo Khaduli and Lazarus Mbondo.
On Thursday, a member of the board said Mombasa has a high number of firearms that are in civilian hands but whose records cannot be traced.
“We have a particular interest in Mombasa because this is where there are many firearms illegally used. You know what Mombasa is known for,” said a board member who requested anonymity.
He was referring to the drugs trade, where Mombasa is used as a transit point for drugs and illegal weapons.
Mwatsahu was issued with his firearm certificate in August 2015 alongside nine other individuals.
On Sunday, he told the Star the nine others have not had their firearms withdrawn.
“We made the applications at the same time and were issued with licences and the firearms at the same time. Why is it that only my application form cannot be traced?” he said.
In January, Matiang’i directed that all civilian firearm holders be vetted afresh and be issued with a new microchip developed by the board that will have all the details of the firearm holder.
