The Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security Minister, Dr. Albert Kawana, has announced the extension of Gun Amnesty Month to 2030.
The gun amnesty period is in September of each year, and Africa is envisioned to silence illegal guns by 2020.
Dr. Kawana also announced that all people who surrender their illegally owned firearms, ammunition, and other related materials will not be subjected to disclosure, humiliation, arrest, or prosecution.
He stated that people who, however, fail to surrender them beyond the Africa Amnesty month will automatically be considered to be in violation of national laws and the Amnesty.
They will therefore face the consequences provided for under the law.
"The availability of illicit firearms among civilians on the African continent continues to contribute to the increase in armed violence, including gender-based violence, which has adverse effects on human rights and state security and impedes government efforts to consolidate democratic governance in the member states. These weapons also fuel criminal violence such as armed robberies, intercommunal violence, insurgencies, and terrorism."
Currently, there are an estimated 40 million small arms and light weapons in Africa.
Out of these, Dr. Kawana stated that about 11 million are owned by law enforcement agencies, with only 5.8 million registered officially.
Therefore, the success of silencing the guns depends on Africa's collective collaboration.
"I am, therefore, appealing to all those who find themselves within the borders of Namibia, regardless of their residence status, to surrender their unlicensed firearms, armaments, or ammunition that are held in contravention of the law. Any person who complies with this call will be exempt from prosecution during Amnesty Month in September 2023. I must also emphasise that Namibia must continue to be a beacon of peace, safety, and security. I therefore call upon the nation to assist the Namibian Police Force to combat crime so that Namibia can be a safe, stable, and peaceful country."