Uganda is believed to have large stockpiles of SALW. These stocks are held by the military, the police and other state security establishments, as well as the licensed privately owned arms. However, a sizeable amount of the small arms holdings are in illicit possession, in the hands of insurgents, armed communities and criminals.

Illicit small arms proliferation is attributed to past political instability, civil wars and armed conflicts, poor management and control of weapons, inflows from conflicts in the region, as well as illicit transfers and trafficking from other regions of the world due to inadequate regulation of international arms trade and transfers.

Uncontrolled SALW devastate lives and livelihoods, fomenting conflict, crime, terrorism, hindering development and exacerbating poverty. In Uganda and across the region, small arms have been used to kill thousands of people in conflict, cattle rustling and criminal activities, thousands more are injured, terrorised, or are forced out of their homes into lives as refugees or internally displaced persons.

Strategies to tackle the Problem

Small arms issues are complex and multi-dimensional in nature. This calls for comprehensive strategies involving governments and the civil society at national and international levels. A comprehensive and coordinated approach has, therefore been adopted to deal with the issue in a sustainable way.

These strategies are aimed at:

a)      Tackling the enormous volume of weapons already in circulation.

b)      Implementing proper measures to account for and secure governments stocks

c)       Promoting responsible management of SALW

d)      Implementing effective weapons collection and destruction programs

e)      Strengthening legislation and its enforcement

f)        Promoting human security and political security and stability, which includes:

·          Support for peace building activities

·          Non violent conflict resolution

·          Conflict prevention

·          Human rights and good governance

·          Social and economic development