Firearm in wrong hands on the rise as experts call for stricter vetting threshold

There has been a sharp rise in the recovery of illegal firearms in the hands of criminals in the past weeks, mostly in Nairobi and its environs, raising questions why it has become easy for unlicensed individuals to have access to the weapons.

This month alone, about ten cases of firearm recovery have been reported, pointing to an enhanced police crackdown but worrying trends at a time when the country is also witnessing the goonism menace.

More worrying is how some of the pistols reported in the wrong hands are linked to high-profile figures, among them those associated with appellate court judge Aggrey Muchelule.

His firearm was recovered on Jul 14, 2026, in the house of a suspect who was shot dead in Joska following a fierce shootout with police who were in pursuit even as the Judge told detectives that he had not noticed his pistol had been missing.

On July 17, 2026, former Marsabit County Assembly Speaker Mathew Loltome reported loss of his firearm Glock 19 after an encounter with two ladies in Nairobi.

The speaker told Central police in Nairobi that his firearm went missing in his car after having a brief encounter with two ladies, Beyonce Mueni and Smasher Mutheu in Nairobi’s downtown.

Following the report, one suspect was arrested to help the authorities in their investigations as efforts to trace the firearm were launched.

Security experts and analysts are blaming both corruption and the weak threshold of firearm application, citing that stricter requirements need to be introduced.

“There are several issues that have made it easy for people to have easy access to firearms; one of them is the application process. Tough questions are not being asked, like why should an applicant own a pistol,” shares Richard Tuta, security expert

Tuta observes that it is high time to relook at the application process, including tightening of the threshold, age, location and several tests to understand the applicants.

He also blames the rise of illegal firearms on porous borders where people sneak in all kinds of stuff without proper checks.

On instances where some people claim they misplaced their firearms, thus landing in the wrong hands, Tuta says it portrays recklessness and such cases ought to be dealt with firmly.

“Let them also be dealt with firmly: if you misplace your gun, you lose your gun. I think we should also now automate with an automation that I can be able to see where your gun is,” he says.

Adding, “Just like a car tracker, the local OCS should be able, or the licensing board, and be able to see at any time where these guns are. Let's automate them,”

On July 24, police recovered a Retay Falcon pistol from three robbery suspects in Kawangware, making it the latest incident in Nairobi.

Another security expert, Patrick Muli, claims some licensed firearm holders are applying the weapons to hire out to criminal gangs at a fee.

“I think the best way to avoid such cases is for the government to introduce a high fee when making an application; an annual renewal license for firearm should be one million shillings; that way it will make it hard even for criminals to afford,” he observed.

In May 2026, police in Kayole arrested some suspects who had a Falcon pistol believed to have been smuggled from Ethiopia, revealing that criminals could be getting supplies from neighbouring countries.

 "The type of firearm recovered shows that itis  commonly used in Ethiopia; that is why we have extended our investigation to establish how it came into their hands or if there is a bigger syndicate behind these types of pistols," then Kayole Sub-County Police Commander John Owuoth said

According to the 2026 Economic Survey from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, police recorded a sharp rise in firearm recoveries in 2025, with 427 illegally held guns seized, up from 104 in 2024.

Owning a firearm in Kenya requires one to comply with some requirements under the Firearms Act, which requires applicants to submit a formal request to own a gun to the Officer Commanding Station (OCS).

There, the OCS will issue a form to the applicant to fill out, indicating some crucial documents that are compulsory for any gun owner.

The requirements include a letter from a psychiatrist confirming that one is of sound mind, a letter detailing why an individual is looking to own a gun, a police clearance certificate and a certified bank statement to ascertain that one has a steady source of income.

The Act says the applicant must have a clearance letter from the police station closest to their residence, four Passport photos, a copy of the National ID or Passport before being directed to wait for the next interview.

Typically, the vetting process takes an estimated 3 months, depending on the capacity at the licensing board.

The applicant, under normal circumstances, is then called for a final interview before being directed to pay Sh5,000 for the official certificate.