Uhuru's son Jomo moves to Court to challenge government's decision to revoke gun licence

Piece by: SUSAN MUHINDI
Entertainment

• He claims he has not been informed of the reasons for the intended revocation despite being in possession of a license.

• Jomo said when officers came demanding he surrenders his firearms on July 21, no reason was given.

Uhuru Kenyatta and his son Jomo Kenyatta
Image: COURTESY

John Jomo Kenyatta, the son of former president Uhuru Kenyatta, filed a petition with the High Court to contest the government's decision to revoke his weapons license.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta's son, John J. Kenyatta, has urged the Milimani Law Courts to intervene and stop the state from cancelling his guns license in an urgent case.

He requests that "the due process set out in the Firearms Act" be followed when the Chief Licensing Officer, the Firearms Licensing Board, and the Attorney General seek his license.

He claims in court documents that the decision to revoke his guns license violates section 5(8) of the guns Act. He makes this claim through counsel Fred Ngatia. Despite having a license, he contends that he has not been told of the reasons for the planned revocation.

On July 21, cops demanded that Jomo turn over his firearms, but no explanation was given, according to Jomo.

"On inquiry as to the reasons if any, that had caused an abrupt demand for my firearms, the offices feigned ignorance," Jomo said.

He said he is apprehensive about strong-arm tactics that may be deployed, which is why he is pleading with the court to intervene.

He claims he has not been informed of the reasons for the intended revocation despite being in possession of a license.

"The grounds upon which a firearm license can be revoked are provided in section 5(7) of the Firearms Act, which when read with section 7 (2) (a) (v) of the fair administrative action act, cannot be invoked without being afforded an opportunity to be heard," Jomo said.

He said that unless his application is urgently admitted for hearing and orders sought granted, his constitutional rights will be violated.

According to the court documents, his license is valid until April 27, 2024.

The matter is yet to be heard.

On Friday, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said 23 firearms were recovered from three homes in Karen, Nairobi, following an operation launched after establishing that weapons used during demos were supplied by civilian gun holders.

"Today afternoon, an operation has been going on targeting three homesteads within the Karen area where a total of 23 firearms, some of which are suspected to have been used in illegal activities are kept," he said on Friday.

Former president Uhuru Kenyatta has since come out to defend his family against the onslaught daring the state to face him head-on instead of going for his family.

Uhuru vowed to defend his family no matter the cost.

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