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s a f e r w o r l d · w o r k i n g p a p e r 11Unfortunately these operations have never yielded anything near their target levels ofSALW. For example, in Kenya’s Operation Dumisha Amani (Sustain Peace), a disarmamentinitiative of 2005/2006, the government had a target of 50,000 arms to recover,but only netted 2,298 arms. 33 Therefore a comparison of total arms destroyed againstdisarmament targets actually suggests modest progress.Table 2: Number of SALW and ammunition/explosives destroyed in KenyaNumber Ammunition/Year of SALW explosives2003 8,2892005 38392007 8,008 50,0002009 2,4982010 2,545Total 25,179 50,000Source – KNFP, NairobiIn addition, to improve record-keeping, the Central Firearms Bureau received astandardised electronic register for managing arms brokers and dealers from RECSAand United Nations Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa. The software willmanage information on arms brokers and keep records of brokering licences inaccordance with the RECSA Best Practice Guidelines.International and regional co-operation and information exchange: The Kenyangovernment and civil society actively participated in the global Control Armscampaign, dubbed the ‘Million Faces Petition’ (fronted by Amnesty International,Oxfam and the International Action Network on Small Arms), in 2002 followingagreement on the UNPOA. Kenya, through KNFP co-ordination and the support ofOxfam GB collected and presented about 100,000 faces to the UN Secretary-Generalat the UNPOA Review Conference 2006 to lobby for tough global controls on the armstrade. In addition, Kenya and six other like-minded states (i.e. Argentina, Australia,Costa Rica, Finland, Japan and the United Kingdom) co-sponsored and lobbied for theadoption of a draft resolution to establish an Arms Trade Treaty. The Resolution wasadopted by the UN General Assembly on 6 December 2006. The KNFP co-ordinatedpreparation of a submission on this by the Kenyan Government. This was a verysignificant diplomatic contribution to an international process that has potential toimprove controls over the global trade in SALW.UgandaNational FocalPoint on SmallArms and LightWeaponsThe Uganda National Focal Point on SALW (UNFP) was established by the Governmentof Uganda in 2001 to co-ordinate activities to prevent, combat and eradicatethe problem of the proliferation of illicit SALW. 34 This action was in line with theprovisions of the Coordinated Agenda for Action of the Nairobi Declaration.Mandate of the Uganda National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light WeaponsThe UNFP is an inter-agency body comprising government ministries and agencies,as well as civil society organisations that have some role in addressing the small armsissue. The UNFP functions as the link between regional and national level institutions.The Secretariat of the UNFP is located within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.33 KNFP, ‘Disarmament in Kenya’, presentation delivered during RECSA Practical Disarmament Validation Workshop inMombasa Kenya, 30–31 August 2010.34 www.unvuganda.org/saahw.html, 5 February 2011.
12 c o n t r o l l i n g s m a l l a r m s a n d l i g h t w e a p o n s in k e n y a a n d u g a n d a : p ro g re s s s o f a rThe NFP is administered by a co-ordinator, under the supervision of the PermanentSecretary and the political direction of the minister. It has the following roles: 35n implement the Nairobi Declaration, Nairobi Protocol and other Protocols,Programmes of Action and Declarations pertaining to SALWn develop, implement, resource and monitor the NAPn co-ordinate implementation and operational activities with the Regional Task Forceson SALWn co-ordinate activities related to SALW with all stakeholders to ensure compatibilitywith the national objectivesn co-ordinate and interact with civil societyn conduct and facilitate research on issues pertaining to SALW in all its aspectsn facilitate exchange and dissemination of informationn identify and apply lessons learnt aimed at developing best practicesn build and maintain the capacity of all stakeholders to ensure effective and sustainableaction to deal with the SALW problem in all its aspects.Uganda National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons strategyLike the KNFP, the UNFP’s strategy is guided by the Uganda NAP. Because thedevelopment of both NAPs happened concurrently and was supported by the samepartners using the same methodology, the two documents have much in common.Indeed, the commencement dates of both Kenya and Uganda NAPs were the same,i.e. July 2004. The Uganda NAP focuses on four main themes:n Control and management of existing stock of SALW. This addresses the capacitybuilding of law enforcement agencies, stockpile and surplus management, developmentof a national policy on SALW, regulating civilian ownership and controllingand managing brokersn Reduction of the volume of SALW already in circulation, focusing on collection anddestructionn Prevention of future proliferation of SALW focusing on licensing controls andprocedures, end-user certification and monitoring, reporting (for transparency andaccountability), marking and tracingn Institutional framework development and capacity building of the main institutions,namely the National Security Committee, the Uganda NFP and 12 Regional TaskForces (RTFs). 36Uganda’s NAP consists of ten components that were to be undertaken jointly bygovernment and civil society, implemented in phases over a period of five years.The ten components fit within the above-mentioned themes and are as follows:1. Establish and/or operationalise the required inter-agency institutional framework toimplement the various international, regional and sub-regional action programmesand protocols as well as the NAP in a comprehensive and sustainable manner. In thiscase, Uganda’s National Security Committee, the UNFP and Regional (or District)Task Forces are the relevant institutions.2. Develop an integrated and comprehensive National Policy on SALW, review nationallegislation, administrative procedures and regulations followed by implementation ofthe new provisions and harmonisation within the sub-regional framework.35 www.mia.go.ug/page.php?1=nfp_functions&&2=National%20Focal%20Point%20Functions, 5 February 2011.36 The RTFs were originally mandated to take forward the NAP at the sub-national level, but it was subsequently recognisedthat DTFs are much better suited to Uganda’s administrative structures. The only administrative structures that functionregionally are the police administrative regions, while all other local government structures operate at the district level. Theexistence of DTFs is therefore recognised in the national small arms policy.
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