A proposal before Parliament has renewed debate over the loss and theft of police firearms, with a petitioner calling for the introduction of a national digital firearm detection and tracking system within the National Police Service (NPS).
The petitioner argues that technology could help strengthen firearm accountability and improve public safety.
The petitioner cited a series of attacks on police stations and incidents in which state-issued firearms have been stolen or gone missing as justification for the proposal.
The petitioner, Emmanuel Ojow, wants Parliament to amend the National Police Service Act and related laws to establish a digital tracking framework featuring biometric-controlled smart armories, encrypted real-time monitoring and instant alerts whenever a firearm is accessed or removed without authorisation.
Ojow said the system would create a digital trail for every police-issued weapon, making it easier to detect unauthorised access and improve accountability.
Appearing before the committee chaired by Vice-Chairperson Janet Sitienei (Turbo), Ojow cited recent attacks on police stations in which firearms were stolen, saying the incidents exposed vulnerabilities in the country's current armory management system.
According to Ojow, the existing manual firearm issuance and storage procedures lack real-time monitoring capabilities, making it difficult for authorities to detect unauthorised access or respond swiftly when weapons go missing.
“The theft or unauthorised removal of police firearms heightens operational risk for police officers, endangers civilians and undermines public confidence in national security institutions,” said Ojow.
He argued that such gaps increase the risk of stolen firearms being used in violent crime, posing a threat to both police officers and civilians.
“The lack of real-time digital tracking of missing weapons increases the likelihood that such firearms will be used in violent criminal activity against both civilians and officers,” he added.
To address this, the petitioner proposed amendments to the NPS Act and related laws to provide for a secure digital tracking framework.
The proposal includes biometric-controlled smart armories, encrypted real-time monitoring and alert systems, dedicated funding for implementation, and legal safeguards to protect officers from liability arising from technological failures.
Committee members sought clarification on the reliability of biometric technology, its effectiveness in day-to-day policing and whether similar systems have delivered measurable results in other jurisdictions.
Legislators also questioned whether the proposal could address broader security challenges, including the influx of illegal firearms through Kenya's porous borders.
Ojow maintained that biometric fingerprint authentication linked to a central command centre would create a digital audit trail whenever a firearm is accessed, enabling authorities to identify the officer handling the weapon and respond immediately to unauthorised access.
He cited the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Singapore as examples of countries that have adopted technology to strengthen firearm accountability.
Members also highlighted implementation challenges, noting that service firearms are routinely reassigned between officers depending on operational requirements.
They questioned how biometric records would be updated efficiently and whether the proposed system could maintain accurate records without disrupting police operations.
Recognising the technical complexity of the proposal, the committee advised the petitioner to consult the NPS and the ministry responsible for internal security to obtain expert input on the system's operational feasibility.
