The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Police expects to have a database of all guns in the country by the end of July, this year. The databank will be generated from the ongoing registration of guns in government security agencies, private companies and individuals.
The exercise which has been completed in Kampala involves capturing the data of each individual gun and marching it with the holder. The data will be interpreted and stored using the Integrated Ballistic Systems (IBIS), which was procured to strengthen the police’s forensic department.
The process follows a presidential directive to fingerprint all guns in circulation as a measure to fight criminality in the country. The directive came after a spate of killings by unknown gunmen especially in parts of Kampala and Wakiso.
The registration exercise is conducted by a joint security team comprising Uganda Police Forces, Uganda People Defence Forces, Uganda Prisons Service, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Internal Security Organisation and the External Security Organisation.
Deputy police spokesperson, Polly Namaye says that the registration now shifts to Katonga region, covering the areas of Mpigi, Gomba and Butambala.
“A joint security team is in the process of registering all guns in the country. So far, the team has registered all guns in the hands of the Uganda Police and Uganda Prisons, private security and those privately licensed within Kampala Metropolitan Area,” Namaye said.
Namaye is optimistic that the registration will ease the task of tracking guns. She equally cautioned that as part of the process, the team will fire bullets from each gun in order to get tits unique characteristics, adding that the public should not be alarmed at the sound of gunshots.
By December 2016, records at Internal Affairs Ministry indicated more than 19,000 guns were legally in possession by civilians and private security companies. Out of 19,000 guns, about 3000 were in the hands of civilians mainly politicians, businesspersons while over 16,000 were in private security companies.
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