The Ministry of Internal Affairs, in collaboration with the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council, has destroyed 100 illegal firearms in Jinja as part of the 9th commemoration of Africa Amnesty Month (AAM).

The destruction ceremony, held at Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja on Friday, symbolises Uganda's commitment to regional peace and disarmament efforts.

The event was presided over by Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Oboth Oboth, along with officials from the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC) and the United Nations Office on Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).

Oboth Oboth revealed that nearly 150,000 firearms and light weapons have been recovered over the past 25 years through various disarmament initiatives.

"The destruction of these recovered weapons sends a clear message to criminals that Uganda is steadfast in promoting peace and stability both domestically and regionally," he emphasised.

Mr Simon Peter Mundeyi, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, noted that over 32,000 firearms have been recovered from communities since 2000, particularly in cattle-rustling hotspots in Karamoja, Northern Uganda, and the Rwenzori region.

"The Commission calls on anyone in possession of illegal firearms to come forward voluntarily and surrender them. No one who does so will face criminal prosecution." The residue of the burnt firearms will be carefully collected and transported to Nakasongola for recycling," Mundeyi said.

Commander Ernest Nuwagaba of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre emphasized Uganda's commitment to continental arms control frameworks and the AU's Silencing the Guns initiative.

Africa Amnesty Month, established in 2017 and extended to 2030, aims to promote the voluntary surrender of illicit small arms and light weapons, key drivers of conflict, displacement, and insecurity across Africa.

The AU and UN have supported similar disarmament activities in Liberia and Togo, reinforcing the international focus on controlling arms flow into and within Africa.

In Kampala, the ceremony was graced by H.E. Ambassador Tebelelo Alfred Boang of Botswana on Thursday.