NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s deputy president on Tuesday set ablaze more than 5,250 firearms seized by authorities to discourage the circulation of illegal weapons in a country battling extremist violence.
Deputy President William Ruto presided over the burning of rifles and pistols in three stacks about 15 feet high. They were recovered in this East African country over the past nine years, Ruto said.
Most of the firearms were collected through voluntary surrender, others from violent criminals that were recovered by security personnel and some from the government’s disarmament efforts, he said.