20 Jul 2023

Increasing licenses of arms and ammunitions given to members of the public can lead to the proliferation of firearms.

This was the sentiment of  various Members of Parliament who debated the Arms and Ammunition (Amendment) Bill of 2022 on Wednesday.

Bobonong MP, Mr Taolo Lucas said the bill sought to control the usage and licensing of guns in the country.

He said limiting the usage of guns among civilians was made difficult by the country’s borders which he said were porous.

He said the border fences were making it easy for those with criminal minds to easily transit guns into the country, adding that the status of borders needed to be addressed.

Mr Lucas said there was a need to limit licensing guns to civilians.

He also said he was against the idea of arming all members of Botswana Police Service as it could make people think that they were safe only when armed with guns.

Molepolole North Member of Parliament, Mr Oabile Regoeng said although he supported the bill, he was against increasing licenses of guns, calling for measures to ensure that guns licensing was rigorously controlled.

He said the increase of guns in the country would contribute to the decline of peace and tranquility. He added that if the country was facing an influx of guns there was a need to evaluate how it happened and to respond effectively, but not through arming everybody who wanted to be armed.

Mr Regoeng further said under the bill, the police commissioner was given more authority to give gun license to civilians, arguing that he would prefer the arms and ammunition licensing board to be more empowered to deal with licensing rather than giving the responsibly to an individual.

He further expressed his reservations over alarming the police, saying not all police officers should be armed.
Takatokwane Member of Parliament, Mr Tshoganteso Leuwe said arms and ammunitions should be controlled adding that some of the guns coming into the country were arming robbers.

He said the regulation of guns should not only be for guns in the country, but should also for those which were coming into the country.

Mr Leuwe said the current quota system of limiting gun licenses for civilians had worked for the country.

He said issuing more gun licenses was risky for the country’s peace as a gun was a dangerous tool that should never be in the wrong hands.

He added that people should not be made to believe that they would be safe only if they owned guns.

Specially Elected Member of Parliament, Dr Unity Dow said the current arms and ammunition law was formulated in 2018, and that what the current amendment bill sought to address were challenges which came along with implementation.

She said it was only during implementation that unforeseen challenges emerged hence the need for the amendment.

Furthermore, Dr Dow said apart from removing air guns, air pistols and air rifles from the definition of firearms, the bill also increased the penalties hence she supported the proposed amendments. Ends