People holding illegal firearms and ammunition have been given a one-month window to surrender the weapons voluntarily as the government steps up efforts to curb the circulation of illicit arms linked to conflict and insecurity.
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the amnesty during the launch of Africa Amnesty Month 2026 at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi.
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja delivered the CS’s address on his behalf, urging those with unregistered or illegal small arms and light weapons to use the amnesty period to hand them over to security agencies.
Murkomen said voluntary disarmament was an important step towards creating lasting peace and improving security, particularly in areas where firearms have been used in community conflicts.
“Conflicts must not be settled by the might of a firearm, but by the force of law. The property of one community can no longer be allowed to change hands through the crack of gunfire, but through willing exchange in the marketplace,” he said.
The amnesty covers illicit small arms and light weapons, ammunition and associated items. Individuals who voluntarily surrender the weapons during the amnesty period will not face legal penalties or criminal charges for possessing them.
The government, however, warned that the opportunity will only be available during the designated amnesty period.
Those who continue to keep illegal firearms after the window closes will be treated as being in breach of the law. They may be subjected to forceful disarmament and prosecution.
Africa Amnesty Month is observed every September under the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative, which seeks to address the spread of illicit weapons that contribute to conflict and insecurity.
Kanja also sought to reassure firearm holders considering surrendering their weapons that they would not be exposed to danger during the process.
He said security agencies and National Police Reservists had been deployed across the country to support security operations and ensure wider coverage.
“We are going to continue strengthening the National Police Reserve to ensure that all our areas are fully covered,” he said.
The announcement comes amid intensified security operations in Samburu and Isiolo counties following recent banditry attacks.
On Saturday, Murkomen said the operations were focused on dealing with people possessing illegal firearms and those involved in attacks targeting police officers, civilians and livestock.
The government has also made progress in recovering illicit weapons, with Murkomen saying more than 3,000 illegal firearms and over 8,000 rounds of ammunition have so far been recovered in the Kerio Valley.
The one-month amnesty now gives individuals still holding illegal weapons an opportunity to surrender them voluntarily before the authorities begin enforcing the law against those who retain the firearms beyond the deadline.