Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Xinhua | Tanzanian law enforcement authorities on Monday launched a special campaign for citizens in possession of illegal firearms to surrender them to relevant authorities in two months’ time.
Jumanne Sagini, the deputy minister for Home Affairs, launched the campaign in Dodoma, the capital of Tanzania, urging citizens with unauthorized firearms to surrender them or face punitive measures.
Sagini said the illegal firearms should be surrendered at police stations, offices of local government authorities and offices of village executive officers in September and October.
“Most of the illegally owned firearms are used in armed robberies and other crimes,” said the official.
He said people that will surrender firearms will not be prosecuted but those who will be found with illegal firearms after the two-month campaign will face the full force of the law.
Camillus Wambura, the inspector general of Police, said all surrendered firearms will be publicly destroyed to create awareness that possession of illegal firearms is against the laws of the country.