Politics
Fresh queries over Rift Valley ‘arms race’ claims
Security officers in Kibera, Nairobi during the post-election violence in 2007. Mr Kofi Annan on Wednesday said he had raised concerns over reports that some communities were rearming ahead of the 2012 elections. Photo/FILE
Posted Wednesday, October 7 2009 at 21:21
He said guns were dismantled and put in charcoal bags to fool the many police officers at roadblocks on the Kabarnet-Eldoret highway. In that way, he said, guns from East Pokot and Kapedo South find their way to Nakuru or Eldoret. The majority of the 1,133 Kenyans who died during the post-election violence were killed in the Rift Valley, which was also affected by ethnic violence most election years.
On Tuesday, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga indicated to mediator Kofi Annan that the country was not likely to form a special tribunal to try suspects. The two said that they were ready to discuss with the ICC the way forward.
Smuggle guns
On Lake Victoria, fishermen have complained that gunrunners from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are smuggle guns through the lake. The security department charged with the control of small arms and light weapons is asking the Cabinet and MPs to tighten gun laws.
It wants the Firearms Act changed to make the ownership of military-type assault rifles a capital offence. If the Cabinet adopts the proposals, stiffer sentences will be imposed for gun offences.
Reported by Barnabas Bii, Kenneth Ogosia, Benjamin Ouma, Biwott Koross
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