Rwanda’s Bold Step: Launching Africa Amnesty Month to Silence the Guns
Rwanda has launched Africa Amnesty Month (AAM) 2024, an initiative that reflects the continental collective commitment to “Silencing the Guns in Africa.”
The month-long campaign launched on Monday, September 23, at the Police Training School (PTS) Gishari in Rwamagana District, aligns with the African Union’s vision that fosters peace and security across the continent, particularly through the voluntary surrender of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) following national laws and international agreements.
The campaign is in line with Rwanda’s National Action Plan 2024-2029 on the Management of SALW. Over 500 tonnes of ammunition and more than 12,000 small arms have been destroyed since 2010, further demonstrating Rwanda’s unwavering dedication to this cause.
The AAM will include an awareness campaign to encourage voluntary surrender of illegally possessed firearms; training on physical security and stockpile management for 40 defense and security personnel from Rwanda; and a community-based policing workshop for 20 civilian personnel supporting communities with security services on their role in the fight against illegal SALW proliferation.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Benjamin Sesonga, while launching the campaign and training, said that the establishment of a month of amnesty is a commendable initiative rooted in the African security context where conflicts, unfortunately, persist, fueled by multifaceted factors and the tendency of civilians to acquire weapons to protect themselves.
“The proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons remain one of the most pressing security threats worldwide. It enables criminal organizations and terrorist groups to operate easily across the region and beyond, constituting a serious threat and undermining peace and stability by injuring or killing innocent people through criminal activities including armed robbery, terrorist attacks, cattle rustling, mass rapes, and war to mention but a few,” Sesonga said.
Jean Pierre Betindji, the Executive Secretary of the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA), said that the 29th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly, held in 2017, declared September as Africa Amnesty Month—a decision aimed at encouraging the voluntary surrender of illicit firearms without fear of prosecution. The initiative has since been extended until 2030, reinforcing our dedication to silencing the guns in Africa.
“In terms of figures, in Africa alone, there are more than 100,000,000 illicit weapons in circulation. This means that poorly managed small arms and light weapons are a vector of instability, violence, and underdevelopment because they are often used to commit crimes, genocide, and terrorism,” Betindji said.
