CABINET has approved plans to amend the Firearms Act to provide for the profiling of all firearms and easy tracing amid a surge in gun-related crimes.
Zimbabwe is witnessing a surge in armed robbery cases.
Just last week, robbers armed with pistols and a pick stormed a Bulawayo company, making off with US$32 500 and ZAR300 after tying some security guards and a dozen workers with shoelaces.
A week earlier, US$4 million that was being loaded into a cash-in-transit vehicle was seized by armed robbers outside an Ecobank branch in Bulawayo.
Although unarmed, last week, US$20 000 was stolen from a Fawcett security cash-in-transit van after guards who were transporting the cash from Beitbridge to Mutare had offered a lift to two strangers.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information minister Jenfan Muswere said the Amendment Bill would also see a regulation placed on the number of firearms an individual can possess.
“The amendments seek to regulate the registration and licensing of firearms, and the establishment of a firearms database and registry,” Muswere said.
“The Amendment Bill will make provision for the classification of firearms certificates to differentiate those issued to individuals and juristic persons.
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“The amendments will also seek, among other things to (a) introduce psychological and training tests before one is issued with a firearm certificate; (b) place an age restriction on the possession of firearms; (c) regulate the number of firearms per person; (d) provide for the profiling of all firearms for purposes of easy identification and tracing thereof; and (e) specify the penalties for firearm offences, including the failure to properly secure firearms.”
In September, police issued a fresh firearms amnesty to all illegal holders of weapons and ammunition.
The amnesty was extended to licensed firearm holders without renewed firearm certificates or notified authorities of changes in their residential or business addresses.
Only 44 unregistered firearms were surrendered as of September 27, police said.
Available statistics indicate that crime in Zimbabwe rose by 11% from January to August 2024 compared to the same period last year.
