MPs back compulsory mental assessment for gun licence applicants
Telecom operators will pay customers up to Sh30 per day for dropped calls if Parliament adopts a revived Bill that imposes a penalty for voice service outages. PHOTO | POOL
The National Assembly’s Administration and National Security Committee overruled objections by the Interior Ministry, which opposed the amendments that mandated the mental checks.
Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i had said mandatory mental examinations for all firearm applications were not necessary since it was taken care of in the applications for civilian firearms regime.
The State will compel prospective gun holders to take a mandatory mental examination after MPs backed changes to the Firearms Act that are meant to curb misuse of weapons.
The National Assembly’s Administration and National Security Committee overruled objections by the Interior Ministry, which opposed the amendments that mandated the mental checks requirement.
“The committee recommends that a person who seeks to acquire a firearm licence shall undergo a mandatory mental examination before acquiring the firearm and at any other period from time to time,” Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, who chairs the committee, said in a report to the House.
Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i had said mandatory mental examinations for all firearm applications were not necessary since it was taken care of in the applications for civilian firearms regime.
GUN OWNERS
The National Gun Owners Association, however, supported the proposed changes, arguing it would lead to “better compliance, cooperation and coordination of security”.
The report follows a petition by a firearms examiner asking Parliament to consider including mandatory mental health screening as a pre-condition for acquiring a firearm licence.
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