United Nations
Development Programme

Plot 24 Prince Charles Drive, Kololo

P.O Box 7184

Kampala, Uganda

Tel: (256) 414-233440/1/2/5

Fax: (256) 414-344801

Email: registry.ug@undp.org

Arms set on fire at Munyonyo near Kampala

Some 3,500 pieces of small arms and light weapons were on October 5, 2009, destroyed, as one of the activities to mark the 10th anniversary of the East African Community held in Speke Resort in Munyonyo in Kampala. The destruction was done by the National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force (UPF), the Ministry for East African Affairs with support from UNDP.

The destruction of the arms, mainly AK-47 machine guns and semi automatic rifles, was initiated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda and witnessed by the Prime Minister of Rwanda and dignitaries which includes Ministers from the East African community, the UNDP Resident Representative and many others.

In his speech, President Museveni pointed out that the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons is a direct threat to the security, political stability and economic development of Uganda and the East African region. He said small arms have been used to kill thousands of people in conflict areas, cattle rustling and criminal activities as a result many people are injured, terrorized or forced out of their homes into lives as refugees or internally displaced persons.

Said President Museveni: “The Government of Uganda is convinced that removal of illegal weapons from circulation is an important and necessary means of addressing the problem. Weapons reduction programmes are important for ensuring national security, peace and safety of the people because they aim to remove tools of violence from society.“

Like her neighbours in the Great Lakes region, Uganda is affected by the high number of illicit weapons that threaten security and stability for development, making development unsustainable or reversing the gains made in some areas.

Through the National Focal Point on SALW, Uganda has carried out several destruction exercises before:
• 3000 pieces in September 2005 at Nsambya, Kampala
• 57,200 Pieces in May 2006 at Steel Rolling Mills Jinja
• 1,250 pieces in July 2009 in Moroto
• 34,000 rounds of Ammunition in May 2007 at Kigo Prisons
• 3 tons of un-exploded ordnances at Kigo Prisons in 2003
• 270 tons of un-exploded ordnances at Nakasongola in 2007
• 463 tons of un-exploded ordnances at Nakasongola in 2008
• 60 tons of un-exploded ordnances at chepsikunya, Kapchorwa district in 2009


Uganda is signatory to the United Nations Programs of Action, the Bamako Declaration and the Nairobi Declaration and Nairobi Protocol on SALW. With the support of UNDP, the Royal Netherlands Government, the Regional Centre on Small Arms, EAC-GTZ and SaferWorld, more than 200,000 pieces of SALW have been destroyed between 2002 and 2009.

UNDP has been at the forefront of SALW destruction in Uganda and is committed to further apply its experience brought about by its networks in future arms destruction activities in Uganda, to ensure that the country has a conducive environment for sustainable human development and to facilitate Uganda to achieve to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.