LUSAKA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- About 6,500 illegally acquired guns have been surrendered by members of the public in Zambia following the introduction of a firearms amnesty exercise in 2011, a senior government official said Wednesday.
Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jack Mwiimbu said the guns were surrendered for destruction as part of the government's efforts to strengthen arms control in the country.
"We commend all the members of the public who have positively responded to the firearms amnesty call and appeal to many more to surrender their firearms to the Zambia Police Service for appropriate action," he said in a ministerial statement delivered in the parliament.
The government, he said, is concerned about the recent incidences of discharging firearms in public places, adding that the unlawful discharging of firearms will not be allowed to become routine.
The minister said the number of civilian firearms legally registered in Zambia was estimated to be 38,572, but the exact number of firearms in civilian hands could not be established because of factors such as unlicensed guns, illegal trade, and regional conflicts.
The government has started the review of the law governing gun ownership to bring the situation under control, he said. "The process has begun with internal review before it can be subjected to consultations with other stakeholders." ■