The law with 74 articles defines requirements for an individual person to do firearms business and how they can apply for license to possess a gun.
Speaking to the media yesterday, the State Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Justice, Evode Uwizeyimana said that the new law allows a person who meets all the conditions in law to do firearms business or establish the plant making them in Rwanda.
“For an individual to do firearms business or establish a plant making them is now made possible into the law,” he explained.
Is firearms business, possession in Rwanda necessary?
Asked whether doing firearms business is necessary for Rwandans or whether Rwandans have appealed for the law, Uwizeyimana said that the law is in line with international standards regulating firearms.
“The country can evaluate what other countries have attained and identify what’s missing for them to replicate. Sometimes people think that laws are developed because of societal pressure; the government thinks and see where other countries have reached, the government wants to be a role model. It is not necessarily that the law is established following the appeal by the public, the government initiates some laws. We are a country that should be on international standards,” he explained.
Under Article 13 of the proposed law on arms, requirements for individuals to sell arms indicate that for a person to be authorised to sell arms, they shall submit a request letter to the Minister in charge of the Rwanda National Police and attach copies of their identity card or passport, shall be people of integrity, and be at least 21 years old.
According to the law, those wishing to sell arms will not have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment equal to or exceeding beyond six months, shall show a safe place where to keep the arms, shall produce a legal commercial registration certificate and shall commit to not collaborate with terrorist organisations or individual terrorists.
The Cabinet will also have to authorise individuals before they can start selling arms in the country.
On gun possession, according to Uwizeyimana, the law defines all conditions for individual person to possess, and when Police find them appropriate, they give them license.
On concerns whether the guns cannot be used illegally, Uwizeyimana allayed fears saying that Police will pass the possession license to a person who will have been thoroughly vetted.
The proposed law allows civilians to possess firearms for hunting, sports, or for self-defence purposes if they meet the conditions described in the law.
The law defines arms as firearms and their ammunition, grenade and other explosives used as arms as well as nuclear, biological, chemical or toxic weapons.
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