Here Is The Kind Of Gun Used By Nairobi Gang Members

Findings by the Nairobi police have revealed that gangs in Kayole and Eastleigh regions are making use of homemade guns to carry out criminal activities.

In recent times, police have found a growing number of homemade guns on arrested young gang members. This year, not less than 25 homemade guns have been recovered in gang-ridden areas.

In the month of June alone, at least 15 home-made pistols have been recovered with over half seen on gang members from either Kayole or Eastleigh.

The majority of homemade guns was discovered on suspects killed by police. Police say the guns are becoming more sophisticated and lethal with the ability to discharge bullets and kill.

This has raised concerns among the police tasked with the duty of keeping the populace safe.

Flying Squad chief Said Kiprono said in March that the gang members use these guns to “facilitate escape when they are confronted by police.”

“They are very rudimentary but effective weapons being used to commit crimes. We believe they are being made by some welders who might have an idea of how a gun operates,” Kiprono had said.

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Homemade Guns – Who Makes Them?

Questioning of arrested gang members (mostly in Mihango, Huruma and Dandora) found with the home-made guns has lead to the discovery that the guns are made by a man simply described as “disabled and notorious.”

Despite questioning and investigations by police, only a little information seems to be available about the uamed gun-maker. Police speculate that he could be protected by a very dangerous Dandora gang.

The police have however said that they are determined to clamp down on the gun-maker and have called on the public to help with information that could lead to his arrest.

National Police Service spokesman George Kinoti said that; “Several criminals have been arrested with them (home-made guns) and they are helping us in our crackdown on the manufacturers and the suppliers.”

Some Gang-Used Guns Are Imported

Police spokesman Kinoti also revealed that some of the guns used by gang members are smuggled into Kenya from the porous borders of nearby countries.

Also, homemade guns are not only in use in Nairobi but other parts of the nation. As a matter of fact, a number of robbery cases and illegal possession of firearms are currently pending in courts nationwide.

Cases Where Homemade Guns Have Been Seized

In Kariobangi, a home-made gun was found on a 40-year-old man named James Maina who shot at policemen when they came to intervene an on-going fight between him and his girlfriend. The police had arrived the scene after receiving a call from the lady.

On Monday, June 19th police on two different occasions— one in Mowlem and the other in Kayole, shot two robbers. Each of them was found in possession of a locally made gun.

Also on Monday, a brave teenage girl in Kisimu helped her father disarm a robber who visited their home at 9.30 pm. The robber escaped leaving behind a gun which police say was stolen from one of their administration camps in 2015.

In the past two weeks, homemade guns have ben discovered in Eastleigh’s Muratina Road, Pangani’s Captain Mungai Road Buruburu, Riruta, Makadara, Zimmerma and Soweto.