Activists urge Gov't to regulate firearms

Mar 21, 2017

Dr. Livingstone Sewanyana, the Foundation for Human Rights Initiatives (FHRI) executive director said the access and use of guns should be monitored by government amongst members of the community.

Following the death of Police spokesperson AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, activists have urged government to regulate the way guns are licensed out.


Dr. Livingstone Sewanyana, the Foundation for Human Rights Initiatives (FHRI) executive director said the access and use of guns should be monitored by government amongst members of the community.


He made the remarks yesterday during a workshop in which judicial officers from chief magistrate's courts were being trained on how rights of the underprivileged can be applied in decision making in order to ensure fairness in delivery of justice. The event was organised by FHRI.


"Government should regulate how guns are given out and put in place a monitoring mechanism in order to find out how they are used," He advised.


He also advised that people who apply for guns must be subjected to serious vetting. "A person is licensed a gun and 5 years down the road nothing is done to monitor it and eventually end up giving their friends, who use it to commit crimes.


According to Sewanyana, this is the only way we shall control the killing of high-profile people in the country. He also attributed the murders for failure by the police to adequately investigate it.


The comes barely two days after AIGP Kaweesi was shot dead by unknown gunmen as he was driving off his home in Kulambiro, Ntinda, a Kampala suburb.


Others killed in a similar manner by boda boda assailants include Maj. Muhammad Kiggundu, State Attorney Joan Kagezi, Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya, Sheikh Dactoor Abdu Kadir Muwaya and Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga.


Unknown gunmen shot Kaweesi, his bodyguard Kenneth Erau and the driver Godfrey Wamewo as they left his home to work in his official car registration number UP 4778.   They were killed in about 100 meters from his gate.


According to an eye witnesses, four assassins who were on two boda boda all armed with guns, fired several bullets and opened the doors of Kaweesi's car, shot him dead and rode towards Kisasi town.


Sewanyana proposed that all boda bodas be registered since the deaths are linked to people who ride it.


He observed that so many Ugandans roam around Kampala streets due to evictions by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and therefore they live in agony and anguish.


Sewanyana tasked government to provide more funding on issues of security, unemployment and Agriculture so that Ugandans plight can be improved.


Former Court of Appeal registrar and current judiciary spokesperson Erias Kisawuzi said the training has equipped judicial officers with skills in adjudicating cases, particularly in human rights. He disclosed that the Judiciary has partnered with FHRI since 1998. 

   "I than FHRI for training our judicial officers, this impact on the performance of Judiciary because we shall have expeditious trial of cases," he said.


(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});