KEY POINTS
- Cabinet plans stricter regulations on firearm ownership.
- A firearms database will improve weapon tracing.
- Armed robberies have surged, driving the amendments.
To address the growing number of gun-related crimes in Zimbabwe, the Cabinet has approved measures to amend the Firearms Act.
Cabinet approves Firearms Act amendment plans
With an increase in armed robberies nationwide, the amendment aims to enhance public safety by improving firearm tracing and profiling.
Armed robberies have been on the rise across Zimbabwe. Just last week, robbers armed with pickaxes and guns broke into a business in Bulawayo, stealing ZAR300 and US$32,500. The criminals tied up a dozen employees and security guards with shoelaces before escaping. This came just a week after another robbery in Bulawayo, where armed thieves made off with US$4 million from a cash-in-transit vehicle outside an Ecobank branch.
In another incident, US$20,000 was stolen from a Fawcett Security cash-in-transit van. The theft occurred after security personnel transporting the money from Beitbridge to Mutare gave a lift to two strangers who turned out to be accomplices. Although no firearms were used in this crime, it highlights the increasing number of brazen attacks on cash-in-transit vehicles.
New rules to address rising gun crimes
According to News Day, during a post-Cabinet briefing, Information Minister Jenfan Muswere outlined key elements of the proposed Firearms Act amendments. The new law will strengthen firearms registration and licensing regulations and will establish a comprehensive firearms database and registry to help track weapons more efficiently, improving crime prevention.
“The amendments aim to regulate the registration and licensing of firearms, as well as the creation of a firearms database and registry,” Muswere said. “The Bill will also provide for the classification of firearms certificates to distinguish between those issued to individuals and those issued to legal entities.”
The Bill also seeks to limit the number of firearms an individual can own, further tightening Zimbabwe’s gun control laws. These changes are seen as critical to curbing the rise in gun-related crimes, especially armed robberies, which have undermined public confidence.
Authorities expect that stricter regulations will deter criminals and reduce the availability of firearms used in these violent crimes. By establishing a detailed firearms registry and controlling gun ownership, the government hopes to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.
This move reflects the government’s broader concern for public safety amid rising violent crime in Zimbabwe. The amendments to the Firearms Act are expected to significantly reduce the number of illegal firearms in the country.
