President William Ruto on Wednesday 13th June 2025 presided over the public destruction of more than 6,000 illegal firearms at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong’, Kajiado County recovered by security agencies between 2022 and 2025.
In his address the President reaffirmed the government’s efforts of cracking down on illegal firearm holders while calling upon all citizens who may possess illegal firearms to take advantage of the government’s amnesty and surrender the weapons to the authority.
“A firearm in the wrong hands is not just a potent weapon, it is a direct assault on the safety of our citizens, the stability of our nation and the peace we have worked so diligently to build,” said the President.
The President hailed the public for surrendering majority of the firearms voluntarily but also noted that in some areas it took the efforts of different security agencies to disarmed communities.
President William Ruto also put rogue officers on notice, stating they will be held personally accountable for their actions.
His remarks came in over of the death of 31-year-old teacher and influencer Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody at the Central Police Station under suspicious circumstances and over a seven-month pregnant woman who had a miscarriage while in police custody in Nyandarua, sparking protests in the country.
“We also commit to protect Kenyans from rogue police officers. Criminal elements in uniform must be held to account”, he pledged, “This event is a clear signal that we are serious about fighting lawlessness. I ask the relevant state departments and agencies to begin the necessary processes and establish modalities for Kenya to sign all relevant arms control treaties that align with our national interests and security imperatives,” he stated.
He further directed all State agencies that are custodians of government-issued firearms to uphold strict accountability and ensure proper management and control of arms under their charge and to all citizens who may possess illegal firearms to take advantage of the current amnesty and surrender the weapons to the authorities.
This event was also symbolic, as the 15 member states commemorated 20 years since the establishment of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) with a mandate of coordinating the implementation of the Nairobi Protocol on the Prevention, Control and Reduction of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States.
