Firearm license and permit holders to undergo mandatory vetting from Monday

All civilian holders of firearm licences and permits in Nairobi region will undergo a mandatory four-day vetting starting Monday.

According to a statement from the Firearms Licensing Board, the exercise will kick off on Monday February 4 at 9:00am at the Police Pavilion in South C and terminate on Thursday February 7.

The board said the vetting dates for other regions outside Nairobi will be announced at a later date through electronic and print media.

A statement by the Firearms Licensing Board chairman Charles Mukindia, ordered all gun holders to provide all supporting documents for licenses acquired and the firearms and ammunition they hold.

The gun holders have also been directed to book their vetting slots through the board’s website www.firearms.or.ke.
After the vetting process, the firearm license holders will be expected to proceed to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Headquarters on Kiambu Road for ballistics analysis of their firearms.

EXEMPTED 

Serving and retired officers from Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, National Intelligence Service, Kenya Forest Service and other senior government officers in the security sector have been exempted from the vetting.

The said officers will however be required to fill a form and obtain a unique identification number from the vetting venue before proceeding to the DCI headquarters for ballistic analysis.

The ballistics analysis will cost each licensed firearm holder Sh2000 and the new smartcard Sh5000, which will be paid on collection ten working days after the vetting process.

This comes following a directive by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior Fred Matiang’i that all firearm holders be listed afresh and each obtains a biometric card in an effort meant to tame gun crimes.