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The People Daily
July 6 2004 Page 3

DC's plea On small weapons
By Bernard Okebe

THE government yesterday appealed for closer collaboration with civil societies to help curb the influx of illegal arms into the country

Making the appeal, Kisumu DC Wilfred ole Legei said the spread of the arms in the country was not only dangerous to the citizen's lives but a big drawback toKenya's economic growth.

Legei told a meeting in his office that a number of the weapons, especially the small arms, have been brought into the country by foreigners some of whom evade security officers.

Receiving a National Council of Churches of Kenyan (NCCK) team that paid him a courtesy call on the ongoing lobar campaign against small arms, the DC appealed to Kenyans to to-operate with security personnel by volunteering relevant information that may assist in apprehending the culprits in time.

Legei told the NCCK team led by Nyanza regional coordinator Paul Gol that the presence of the arms in the wrong bands was scaring investors away as no one would wish to do business in unsafe environment.

The Daily Nation
July 6 2004 Page 18

Alarm Over Home Made Guns
By John Oywa

Most (of the guns recovered from crlmlof in Kisumu are home-made. says district Commissioner Wllfred ole Legei.
"We are concerned over the high number of such guns in our midst. This means that we have many backstreet arms merchants," Mr Legei told journalists in his office, yesterday.
He was speaking during the launch of the international week of action against small arms and light weapons. The nationwide campaign is being coordinated by the National Council of Churches of Kenya
Mr Legei also challenged non- governmental organisations and civil society groups to help in the fight against crime.
"The Government cannot win this war without the support of the citizens We need all available Information to help us stop the smuggling of arms into our towns and villages," he said.

Campaign
He praised NCCK for conducting the arms campaign in the district "I am appealing to our brothers and sisters who are keeping illegal firearms and older weapons to surrender them during this campaign against violence,''
the DC said.
The government had tightened security along the national border to stop Somali's fleeing from the war-torn country entering Kenya.
We know some Somali aliens could be coming to Kisumu by disguising themselves as small scale traders, but the law will catch up with them," Mr Legei warned.
He was responding to concerns raised by the journalists over a reported influx of illegal aliens of Somali origin in the lakeside town.
There has been growing concern over the high number of Somall refugees in the town, many of who were engaged in questionable activities.
But the DC challenged journalists to share information about insecurity with the police to help them arrest those smuggling illegal arms and other weapons into the district

Educate residents
The NCCK Nyanza region coordinator, Mr Paul Gol, said various activities had been organised to educate residents of crime prone areas in the town on how to fight the proliferation of arms Volunteers will hold talks with Government officers, chiefs, the police and villagers on how to control the acquisition and usage of illegal arms he said.

The East African Standard
July 14 2004 Page 12

Meanwhile the National Council of Churches Of Kenya (NCCK) Centre region chapter has organised a one-week sensitisation seminar to discuss the dangers of the illicit use of small firearms.
Region chairman, Mr Wilson Wanyoike said NCCK has identified 20 victims who were severely affected by use of such arms and that a prayer service would be held for them.
Wanyoike noted that the purpose of the workshop dubbed Global Week of Action against Small Arms is to highlight the worldwide efforts being made to eradicate the problem of proliferation of small arms.