Chapters authored
Gun Violence and Personal Security in Uganda
Gun violence involves unlawful acts of aggression by use of firearms. These acts involve causing death, physical or and emotional injuries to the victims. An analysis of the Uganda Police crime reports shows that homicide resulting from gun violence in the last 10 years from 2012 to 2022 averages 206.4 cases per year. Although Uganda is not among the countries with the highest number of murders by shooting, there has been a steady rise in the cases of gun violence. Gun violence never existed in the country until the introduction of firearms in the country in the 1890s through either European hunters or the colonial government. After independence, the country witnessed several internal armed conflicts which resulted in the spread of illegal firearms. In the Northeastern region, the firearms inflow resulted from its proximity to conflict prone neighbouring countries of Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and the Northwestern Kenya. These factors have resulted in rampant gun violence especially in central and Northeastern Uganda. Although most acts of gun violence in Northeastern Uganda are committed by unregistered firearms, gun violence in central Uganda and other parts of the country are committed mostly by registered firearms from public and private security organisations.
Part of the book: Gun Violence and Prevention - Connections, Cultures, and Consequences [Working title]