SPEAKING during the funeral service for Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha in Lusaka yesterday, President Hakainde
Hichilema directed the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Home Affairs to work on revising the country’s gun laws in order to make the country safer. The death of Lt Gen Shikapwasha after a shooting incident at his house and the subsequent arrest of his wife for his murder has brought pertinent issues to the fore regarding our growing gun culture.
During New Year celebrations, a 40-year-old man of New Kasama in Lusaka lost his life through a gunshot wound inflicted on him by a fellow partygoer in Chilanga during party.
Just a few days ago, a man of Lusaka was left nursing serious injuries at Levy Mwanawasa Hospital after he was shot by a friend while they were drinking beer in Lusaka’s Twin Palm area allegedly over an unsettled bar bill. Around the same time another man, Safari Mukonka,
aged 52, of Siangwinda village in Sinazongwe, was shot and killed by unknown people.
And in September last year, police arrested 38-year-old George Banda for shooting at a door at some female hostels at the University of Zambia while looking for his girlfriend.
And yesterday, the country bade farewell to Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who fell victim to the growing gun culture in the country.
Clearly we have a big problem on our hands. And this is a problem that can no longer be ignored.
It is therefore comforting that Mr Hichilema has issued a directive to the Inspector General of Police and the minister of Home Affairs to urgently review our gun licensing procedures. Mr Hichilema is on firm ground in calling for stricter gun laws.
As he observed, “there is so much usage of firearms”.
Indeed, “how do you load a gun when going to a party? What is your intention? Who do you want to harm?”
We, therefore, find Mr Hichilema’s directive to the Inspector General of Police and the minister of Home Affairs to urgently review gun licensing system timely.
The unfortunate shooting of Lt Gen Shikapwasha (rtd), along with the other cases in the recent past, underscores the gravity of the growing culture of gun violence and begs immediate action.
It is crucial to recognise that implementing more rigorous gun ownership regulations is not about denying responsible citizens their right to bear arms.
Rather, it is a step towards ensuring public safety, preventing the unnecessary loss of lives, and curbing the alarming rise in gunrelated crimes.
The availability of firearms in the wrong hands not only poses a threat to individuals but also undermines the stability of our society as a whole.
The need for stricter gun laws cannot be overemphasised.
Thorough background checks and stringent licensing procedures can help filter out individuals with a history of violence, mental illness, or any other factors that may indicate a
potential threat.
Extensive background checks, including psychological evaluations, would significantly reduce the likelihood of firearms falling into the hands of those who pose a danger to themselves or indeed others.
Limiting access to guns can help save lives. All too often, in moments of emotional turmoil, individuals resort to the use of firearms, resulting in irreversible tragedies, but making it more difficult for someone to obtain a firearm on a whim, can effectively reduce impulsive acts of violence and protect lives.
Zambia needs more stringent gun laws
SPEAKING during the funeral service for Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha in Lusaka yesterday, President Hakainde
Hichilema directed the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Home Affairs to work on revising the country’s gun laws in order to make the country safer. The death of Lt Gen Shikapwasha after a shooting incident at his house and the subsequent arrest of his wife for his murder has brought pertinent issues to the fore regarding our growing gun culture.
During New Year celebrations, a 40-year-old man of New Kasama in Lusaka lost his life through a gunshot wound inflicted on him by a fellow partygoer in Chilanga during party.
Just a few days ago, a man of Lusaka was left nursing serious injuries at Levy Mwanawasa Hospital after he was shot by a friend while they were drinking beer in Lusaka’s Twin Palm area allegedly over an unsettled bar bill. Around the same time another man, Safari Mukonka,
aged 52, of Siangwinda village in Sinazongwe, was shot and killed by unknown people.
And in September last year, police arrested 38-year-old George Banda for shooting at a door at some female hostels at the University of Zambia while looking for his girlfriend.
And yesterday, the country bade farewell to Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who fell victim to the growing gun culture in the country.
Clearly we have a big problem on our hands. And this is a problem that can no longer be ignored.
It is therefore comforting that Mr Hichilema has issued a directive to the Inspector General of Police and the minister of Home Affairs to urgently review our gun licensing procedures. Mr Hichilema is on firm ground in calling for stricter gun laws.
As he observed, “there is so much usage of firearms”.
Indeed, “how do you load a gun when going to a party? What is your intention? Who do you want to harm?”
We, therefore, find Mr Hichilema’s directive to the Inspector General of Police and the minister of Home Affairs to urgently review gun licensing system timely.
The unfortunate shooting of Lt Gen Shikapwasha (rtd), along with the other cases in the recent past, underscores the gravity of the growing culture of gun violence and begs immediate action.
It is crucial to recognise that implementing more rigorous gun ownership regulations is not about denying responsible citizens their right to bear arms.
Rather, it is a step towards ensuring public safety, preventing the unnecessary loss of lives, and curbing the alarming rise in gunrelated crimes.
The availability of firearms in the wrong hands not only poses a threat to individuals but also undermines the stability of our society as a whole.
The need for stricter gun laws cannot be overemphasised.
Thorough background checks and stringent licensing procedures can help filter out individuals with a history of violence, mental illness, or any other factors that may indicate a
potential threat.
Extensive background checks, including psychological evaluations, would significantly reduce the likelihood of firearms falling into the hands of those who pose a danger to themselves or indeed others.
Limiting access to guns can help save lives. All too often, in moments of emotional turmoil, individuals resort to the use of firearms, resulting in irreversible tragedies, but making it more difficult for someone to obtain a firearm on a whim, can effectively reduce impulsive acts of violence and protect lives.