Ruto destroys over 6,000 illegal firearms, assures Kenyans of protection from rogue police

President William Ruto on Friday presided over the destruction of more than 6,000 illegal firearms at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong, Kajiado County, as part of the government’s fight against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Speaking during the ceremony, President Ruto emphasised the threat posed by illegal weapons in the wrong hands.

"A firearm in the wrong hands is not just a potent weapon; it is a direct assault on the safety of our citizens, the stability of our society, and the peace we have worked so diligently to build. In the hands of criminals, such a firearm enables lawlessness, escalates violence, and undermines the rule of law, Ruto stated.

The firearms destroyed were recovered between 2022 and 2025, with the majority voluntarily surrendered by members of the public through amnesty programmes and community disarmament campaigns. A significant number were also recovered through targeted security operations.

President Ruto stressed the importance of regional collaboration in addressing insecurity, noting that "if we sort out insecurity in one country, we sort out the region." He emphasized the need for harmonisation of policies and a regional approach towards disarmament as "the only way to make regions and countries safe."

President Ruto committed to improving police terms of service and modernising equipment while ensuring that officers who abuse their mandate are eliminated from the service.

He assured that police officers will be adequately covered by insurance and supported with proper housing as they discharge their duties.

The destruction ceremony aligns with the African Union's "Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2030" initiative. President Ruto acknowledged the 20-year milestone of the Regional Centre for Small Arms and Light Weapons in coordinating the region's response to arms control and management.

“The Eastern Africa region remains awash with illegal small arms and light weapons, many of which can easily cross our borders and infiltrate our communities,” he noted, warning against complacency.

He called upon citizens still in possession of illegal firearms to surrender them.

“An illegal firearm makes you less safe; it compromises your safety rather than securing it,” he emphasized.

President Ruto committed to improving police terms of service and modernising equipment while ensuring that officers who abuse their mandate are eliminated from the service.

“We will make sure we professionalize police service and eliminate police men and women who abuse the authority they have,” he said.

He assured that police officers will be covered by insurance and supported with proper housing as they discharge their duties.

“We are ensuring every policeman and woman, as they discharge their noble duties of protecting, they are adequately covered by insurance, adequately supported with a proper housing program,” he said.

The President concluded by assuring citizens of protection from rogue police officers.

“We will protect citizens from rogue police officers and hold them to account,” Ruto stated.