Uhuru's son, govt in talks to end guns license dispute

The government is negotiating with former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s son in a bid to settle a gun license dispute.

John Jomo Kenyatta on Tuesday told High Court Judge Jairus Ngaah that he has been meeting with the firearm licensing board in a bid to resolve the case out of court.

His lawyer Fred Ngatia asked the court to allow his client to come to court next year on January 31 for a mention on if the issue will have been resolved.

The judge had already suspended the government's decision to revoke Jomo’s gun license.

Jomo moved to court following a raid by police officers of his home in Karen. His lawyer told the court that he had not received any written communication or complaint about his use or possession of firearms.

However,  in its reply, the board argued that it was neither interested in cancelling Jomo’s gun licenses nor was it aware of the raid.

The board’s chair Rashid Yakub said he never sent police officers to Jomo’s home.

Further, he stated that he never asked police officers to order Jomo to surrender the guns he had.

The senior officer said that he was a stranger to the July 21 drama adding that the board has never written any demand or orally directed that President Uhuru’s son’s license should be cancelled.

“I am a stranger to the happenings of July 21, 2023, and confirm that I did not instruct any police officers to raid the Applicant’s residence and the request by the so-called police officers to surrender his firearms and license is alien to me.

I confirm that the board has neither cancelled the applicant’s license nor impounded his firearms and the board does not intend to cancel his firearm license,” said Yakub.

At the same time, Attorney General Justin Muturi opposed the application filed by Jomo’s lawyer Fred Ngatia.

State lawyer Munene Wanjohi argued that the case was an abuse of the court process as the State does not intend to cancel Jomo’s licenses or confiscate his guns.

In his submissions, Jomo asserted that despite the denial by the board and the government, armed police officers raided his home and demanded that he surrender the firearms and his license.

Jomo said that he is sure that the persons who were at his 104 Windy Ridge house were members of the National Police Service

In the case, Jomo’s lawyer argued that the government could only revoke the licence after summoning him and hearing his side of the story.

The senior lawyer said the board also ought to have formally informed Uhuru’s firstborn son why it intended to revoke the licence.

He said Jomo feared that police might use excessive force and expose him to criminals as the public now knows he has no weapon for self-defence. The lawyer said the police’s actions are meant to attract publicity, which he says may be detrimental to his client’s safety.

“The applicant is apprehensive that the first and second respondent may use strong-arm tactics; deploy brute force to compel the applicant to surrender his firearms and licence and while so engaged attract media attention with the resultant publication that the applicant has been dispossessed his firearms thus unwittingly inviting criminal elements to target the applicant.

Due to the ever-present danger of the first and second respondents using strong-arm tactics which will render the Judicial Review,” said Ngatia.

In his supporting affidavit, Jomo explained that on July 21, officers came to his residence and demanded that he surrenders guns.

He stated that the orders were that his family should also follow suit. Further, Jomo narrated that the officers were adamant that they had instructions from the licensing officer to report back with the firearms.