Police-issued firearms in Kenya could soon be fitted with a digital tracking system if a proposal presented before Parliament is adopted, in what could mark a major shift in how the National Police Service manages and secures its weapons.

The proposal was presented to the National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, through a petition seeking the establishment of a national digital firearms detection and tracking system to improve accountability, prevent the loss of police weapons, and reduce their misuse.

The Parliament of Kenya, in a statement shared via Facebook, said that the petition, filed by Emmanuel Ojow, was considered during a sitting of the committee chaired by Vice-Chairperson Janet Sitienei (Turbo).

Ojow told lawmakers that the recent increase in attacks on police stations, in which officers have reportedly been ambushed and firearms stolen, had exposed weaknesses in the current system of storing, issuing and monitoring police weapons.

“The theft or unauthorised removal of police firearms heightens operational risk for police officers, endangers civilians, and undermines public confidence in national security institutions,” he told the committee.

He argued that the existing manual firearm issuance and armoury management system lacks real-time electronic detection mechanisms capable of identifying unauthorised removal or tampering.

“The lack of real-time digital tracking of missing weapons increases the likelihood that such firearms will be used in violent criminal activity against both civilians and officers,” Ojow said.

Smart armouries and biometric access

In his petition, Ojow urged Parliament to amend the National Police Service Act and other relevant laws to establish a secure national digital firearm detection and tracking system within the National Police Service.

Among the proposals is the introduction of biometric-controlled smart armouries, where officers would be required to authenticate themselves using fingerprint technology before accessing firearms.

The system would also include encrypted real-time tracking and alerting mechanisms that notify a central command centre whenever a firearm is accessed or removed from an armoury.

Ojow further proposed legal safeguards to protect sensitive operational information, dedicated budgetary allocations for implementation and statutory protections to ensure officers are not unfairly blamed for technological failures beyond their control.

MPs question practicality

During the hearing, members of the Public Petitions Committee questioned the practicality and effectiveness of implementing the proposed technology across the police service.

Committee member Joshua Kandie sought clarification on whether biometric technology could effectively track police firearms and whether similar systems have been successfully implemented in other countries.

He also questioned how the proposal would help address the challenge of illegal firearms entering Kenya through its porous borders.

Responding to the concerns, Ojow explained that fingerprint authentication would enable authorities to identify the officer accessing a firearm, with the information transmitted to a central command centre to facilitate immediate intervention in cases of unauthorised access.

He cited countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Singapore as examples of jurisdictions that have modernised firearm accountability systems using advanced technology.

Operational concerns raised

Lawmakers also expressed concern about the day-to-day operation of such a system, noting that police firearms are frequently reassigned to different officers depending on operational requirements.

Members questioned how biometric records would be updated efficiently and how the proposed system would maintain accurate records without disrupting police operations.

The committee further advised the petitioner to engage the ministry responsible for internal security and the National Police Service to obtain technical input on the proposal and assess its operational feasibility before Parliament considers possible legislative changes.

Push for greater accountability

The proposal comes amid growing public concern over cases involving missing police firearms and attacks on police stations in which weapons have been stolen by criminal gangs.

If eventually adopted, the proposed digital tracking system would represent one of the most significant reforms to police armoury management in recent years, potentially enabling authorities to monitor firearm access in real time, strengthen accountability within the National Police Service and reduce the risk of police-issued weapons falling into criminal hands.

The Public Petitions Committee is expected to continue reviewing the proposal before making recommendations to the National Assembly on the way forward.