Guns in the Borderlands

The report argues that traditional state-led security policies in Kenya, which focus on coercive disarmament and supply-side regulation, are ineffective in 'borderlands' where government presence is limited. Instead, it highlights the success of community-based organizations (CBOs) and NGOs in reducing the demand for small arms and light weapons (SALW) by addressing root causes such as poverty, resource competition, and identity-based conflict. Through case studies in Nairobi, Marsabit, Isiolo, the Northeastern Province, Tana River, and the North Rift, the author demonstrates that integrating development, education, and customary law into security frameworks can shrink gun markets from the bottom up.

• State-led security strategies in Kenya's marginalized areas rely heavily on coercive weapons collection, which is described as ineffective and often results in 'forced upgrades' where communities replace seized weapons with newer models.
• The demand for small arms is driven by a complex interplay of factors, including state failure to provide security, extreme poverty, resource competition (especially water and grazing land), and the use of weapons as status symbols or tools for political control.
• In the Northeastern Province, specifically Wajir, the 1993 Al Fatah Peace Declaration serves as a successful example of customary law resolving conflict through clan-based negotiations and compensation (blood money), which the government condones because it is pragmatic.
• Urban slums in Nairobi, such as Kibera and Mathare, experience gun-related violence driven by economic inequality, rent disputes, and the influence of gangs who use weapons to control informal markets and resources.
• Porous international borders with Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan facilitate the steady flow of illegal firearms into northern Kenya, with weapons often smuggled using creative methods such as hiding them inside dead livestock or water containers.
• Local peace-building organizations have successfully reduced gun demand by providing alternative livelihoods, such as micro-credit and vocational training, and by improving resource management (e.g., desilting water pans).
• The use of Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) in remote areas is criticized for legitimizing civilian gun ownership and allowing weapons to be used for partisan political interests or criminal activity rather than state security.
• There is a significant gap between high-level policy-making and grassroots reality; local peace workers argue that policies are made in 'high hotels' without involving the people most affected by gun violence.

APA

Weiss, T. (n.d.). Guns in the Borderlands. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono95.pdf

Chicago

Weiss, Taya. Guns in the Borderlands. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono95.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Weiss |first1=Taya |title=Guns in the Borderlands |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono95.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{weissndguns, author = {Weiss, Taya}, title = {{Guns in the Borderlands}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono95.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }