All fired up

In November last year, some 5,250 seized firearms were arranged into three 4.5m-high piles, before being doused with fuel and set alight by Kenyan authorities. The bonfire, which took place near Nairobi, was attended by the country’s deputy president William Ruto. It is hoped that the blaze will deter people from owning firearms and encourage others to surrender their weapons.

Kenyan gun laws are strict, and residents have to go through a number of controls and checks to own a firearm. Despite this, hundreds of guns are smuggled into the country each year, particularly via the border with neighbouring Somalia. It is estimated that around half a million guns are illegally held by civilians in Kenya, and are used for poaching, robberies and extremist violence.