Kenya
The security situation in Kenya is not completely stable as its northern region continues to experience ethnic violence and marginalisation. Threats from non-state armed groups in Somalia contribute to this instability.[1] Moreover, during election periods, risks of political violence also tend to increase.[2] As of 2022, reports state that armed violence and human rights violations persist in the country.[3] Due to this instability, Kenya has very high levels of weapons and ammunition trafficking.[4] There also remain risks linked to unexploded ordnance left in the country.[5]
The African Union, RECSA, MSAG, the HALO Trust and BICC are on the ground to help with the through-life management of ammunition in collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Defence. Efforts have included Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM) trainings, building armouries, training Kenyan police forces in Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM), and regional train-the-trainer programmes.[6]
[1] “Kenya: The Conflict in Focus.” Conciliation Resources. Accessed July 14, 2022. https://www.c-r.org/programme/horn-africa/kenya-conflict-focus.
[2] “Kenya’s Political Violence Landscape in the Lead-Up to the 2022 Elections.“ ReliefWeb, August 9, 2022. https://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/kenyas-political-violence-landscape-lead-2022-elections.
[3] “World Report 2022: Kenya Events of 2021.” Human Rights Watch. Accessed July 13, 2022. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/country-chapters/kenya.
[4] “Guns in Kenya.” Gun Law and Policy: Firearms and armed violence, country by country. Accessed July 13, 2022. https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/kenya.
[5] Stott, Noel. “Kenya Hosts the First Review Conference on Landmines.” Published in 2004. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/EJC48307. Kenya Defence Forces. “Kenya Defence Forces - Clearing Unexploded Ordnance in Samburu.” Facebook, September 21, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=936290213547011. “Kenya.” Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor. Accessed July 14, 2022. http://the-monitor.org/en-gb/reports/2019/kenya/view-all.aspx.
[6] See A-MAP Database.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the beginning of data collection in 1979 by the Small Arms Survey, one accidental explosion was reported in Kenya (Table 1).
Table. 1 Accidental explosions in Kenya (1979-2021)
Year | Location | Owner/manager | Deaths | Injuries |
2006 | Nairobi | State (police) | 0 | 0 |
Source: Small Arms Survey. n.d. Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS). Database.
Cases of diversion
Several cases of diversion have been reported since 2000 in Kenya (Table 2).
Table 2: Cases of diversion of arms, ammunition, and explosives in Kenya since 2000
Year | Location | Description |
2022 | Thika | An AK-47 rifle and 30 rounds of ammunition were stolen from a police officer. |
2022 | Samburu | Four G3 rifles and 197 rounds of ammunition were stolen from police officers. |
2020 | Saboti | Three G3 rifles, magazines and ammunition were stolen from Saboti forest division officers. |
2020 | Kibos | An unknown number of firearms and ammunition were stolen from a police station. |
2019 | Nandi | An unknown number of guns were stolen from a police station. |
Source: Stubley, Peter. “Guns Stolen from Police While They Watched the Champions League.” The Independent, April 18, 2019. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/guns-stolen-police-kenya-champions-league-barcelona-manchester-united-a8875721.html. Makong, Bruhan. “Kenya: Police Officer Killed, Four Fire Arms Stolen Following Bandit Attack in Samburu.” allAfrica.com, March 16, 2022. https://allafrica.com/stories/202203160404.html. “Security Agents Dispatched to Recover Stolen Firearm.” Kenya News Agency, May 2, 2020. https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/security-agents-dispatched-to-recover-stolen-firearm/. Ondieki, Geoffrey. “Police Officer Charged with Stealing Colleague's Official Firearm.” Nation, June 9, 2022. https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/samburu/police-officer-charged-with-stealing-colleague-s-official-firearm--3843240. NTV Kenya. “Guns Stolen from Kibos Police Station during Curfew.” YouTube, March 30, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x417LONqBYk.
Disposal
Destruction, use, or export of ammunition as an indicator of a state’s ability to identify and decrease aging, unsafe, or surplus ammunition.
To decrease the above-mentioned risks of accidental explosions and diversion, Kenya has continuously disposed of its ammunition since 2006 (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Disposal of number of ammunition in Kenya (2006-2019)
Year | Number of ammunition |
2006 | 10000 |
2007 | 10000 |
2008 | 10000 |
2009 | 10000 |
2010 | 10000 |
2019 | 366000 |
Sources: ISS. “Disarmament and Destruction of Firearms Not a Panacea to Insecurity in Kenya.” ReliefWeb, April 22, 2010. https://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/disarmament-and-destruction-firearms-not-panacea-insecurity-kenya. PSCU. “President Kenyatta Destroys 8,700 Illegal Guns, Warns against Ownership of Illicit Arms.” The Coast Media Group, November 19, 2019. https://www.thecoast.co.ke/2019/11/20/president-kenyatta-destroys-8700-illegal-guns-warns-against-ownership-of-illicit-arms/14/28/news/thecoast/1173/07/. Wepundi, Manasseh, Eliud Nthiga, Eliud Kabuu, Ryan Murray, and Anna Alvazzi del Frate. “Availability of Small Arms and Perceptions of Security in Kenya: An Assessment.” Small Arms Survey, June 2012. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/145081/SAS-SR16-Kenya.pdf.
Needs
Further requirements for an effective through-life management of ammunition in the country.
To further enhance safe and secure ammunition management, the following needs have been identified for Kenya:
- Development or refinement of standards and procedures on stockpile management
- Capacity development for the destruction of surplus stockpiles
- Development of training manuals
- Capacity building in supporting arms storage facility infrastructures
- Capacity building through training on ISACS, PSSM and IATG
Source: PoA Report 2022, Kenya. Please note that PoA reports focus on SALW and not specifically on ammunition. https://smallarms.un-arm.org/country-profiles/KEN. See also AMAT Needs Data Set, 2022.
