The government has launched a voluntary disarmament campaign in Wakiso. Under the arrangement, the government will sensitize the key leaders across the country who will, in turn, mobilize their communities to surrender all illegally possessed arms and ammunitions without being prosecuted in courts of law.
The campaign is in line with the July 2017 declaration of the African Union – AU heads of states at the Ordinary Session which is announced September of each year as ‘Africa September Amnesty Month’ and the program runs up to 2030.
The AU declaration requires all member states to earmark the month of September for people to surrender their illegally held weapons.
Col Chris Bagamba, the leader of the campaign asked the people to hand over the firearms so that they can live in peace.
According to Col Bagamba, it was agreed between the government and the AU that the program runs between February 1 to March 30 this year in Karamoja, Northern Uganda, Rwenzori, and Kampala Metropolitan.
Since January 23, the team has been moving across the country sensitizing the local leaders, religious leaders, the youth, and security agencies.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign on voluntary surrender in Wakiso District on Thursday, Florence Kirabira who Coordinates the National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons at the Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the campaign seeks to ensure that guns in illegal hands are surrendered voluntarily without force.
She said that the campaign is part of the roadmap to sensitize the population and encourage the people to surrender willingly.
Kirabira is that Wakiso District is part of their target area due to a series of gun violence.
The Wakiso District Police Commander Ramathan Mahfuzu said that the campaign provides a chance for leaders to sensitize the people about the benefit of surrendering illegal weapons. He is optimistic that the campaign would make Wakiso District more secure if the community embrace the campaign.
