Windhoek
The amendments to the Arms and Ammunition Act are with the legal drafters and are at an advanced stage, Inspector-General of the Namibian Police Lieutenant Sebastian Ndeitunga says. Amendments to the Act are expected to make it harder to acquire a firearm licence, especially small arms, like pistols. Amongst others, the amendments will require background checks of applicants and raise the minimum age for acquiring a firearm licence from 18 to 25 years.
Ndeitunga said once the amendments are done they will be tabled in parliament by Minister of Safety and Security Charles Namoloh.
Firearms have been used to commit numerous acts of violence, including so-called “crime of passion”, whereby some people shoot their partners in a moment of rage, before turning the gun on themselves.
The police chief explained that the main reason for the amendments is that the process to acquire a firearm is open and relaxed at present, and it cannot be right for weapons to be dished out in that manner.
“The way it (firearm license) was granted is easy and the whole society will be an armed society,” he told New Era. He said in these amendments they considered the views of the wider community as it was subject to a prolonged period of consultation with stakeholders.
Ndeitunda also said the amendments would entail the police doing background checks to determine whether a person is suitable to possess a gun. “For now the Act does not cater for that, so we slaughtered it in the new amendment – there are a lot of amendments that have been made.”
Ndeitunga said currently if a person is checked and does not have any previous criminal record or their fingerprint does not show anything, as well as indications that they are mentally well then they are given a firearm.
But in future it will be different, as the police will involve the wider community that surrounds the applicant to determine whether the applicant is a responsible citizen and eligible to be granted a license for a weapon.
According to the Arms and Ammunition Act, a person may not keep more than one firearm of the same caliber, although hunters and farmers are allowed to keep four different types of firearms. Individuals are also not allowed to keep more than 100 bullets per firearm.
Asked how the police will ensure that officers do not use their service pistols to harm others, Ndeitunga said there are proper procedures on how to book in and book out a firearm. “When you are on duty you book out a firearm and when you knock off you book it back in. What we are strengthening is the mechanism of control and supervision of everyone by the commander.
“The framework of management is there, but you are dealing with human beings,” remarked Ndeitunga, adding that an officer may book out a firearm while on duty only to divert to other things. Police Commissioner Generall du Toit added that gun owners cannot lend firearms to another person, unless it is in compliance with the law and they are given permission for another individual than the owner to keep the weapon, but not use it.
“If you leave your firearm with someone, that’s where permission comes in. That person must have a safe, but that is not recommended. Rather take it (firearm) to the police station and book it in and come take it later, especially when you are travelling and don’t want to leave the firearm at your house.”
Du Toit also said the Act states that one must have an approved safe at their house and if a gun owner leaves it in their vehicle they should have a built in car safe.
“People forget about this one. When people break into your vehicle and steal the firearm the owner will be declared unfit [to own a gun], because there is no safe in the vehicle.”