This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Kenya statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from Kenyan statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Kenyan-specific metadata information.
| Goal |
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels |
|---|---|
| Target |
Target 16.4. By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime |
| Indicator |
Indicator 16.4.2. Proportion of seized, found or surrendered arms whose illicit origin or context has been traced or established by a competent authority in line with international instruments |
| Metadata update |
2024 |
| Organisation |
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics |
| Contact person(s) |
Senior Manager, Social Statistics |
| Contact organisation unit |
Social Statistics |
| Contact person function |
Collect, compile, analyze and disseminate statistics on governance, peace and security, gender, education and health |
| Contact phone |
+254 735004401, +254 202911000, +254 202911001 |
| Contact mail |
P.O Box 30266-00100, Nairobi |
| Contact email | |
| Definition and concepts |
Definition: Proportion of seized, found or surrendered arms whose illicit origin or context has been traced or established by a competent authority in line with international instruments Concepts: Arms: arms refer to ‘small arms and light weapons’, defined as any portable lethal weapon that expels or launches, is designed to expel or launch, or may be readily converted to expel or launch a shot, bullet or projectile by the action of an explosive, excluding antique small arms and light weapons or their replicas. Antique small arms and light weapons and their replicas will be defined in accordance with domestic law, and in no case will they include those manufactured after 1899. Arms include all firearms, as defined in Last updated: 2018-07-26 the “Protocol against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition”. In particular, ‘small arms’ are, broadly speaking, weapons for individual use, including revolvers, pistols, rifles and carbines, shotguns, sub-machine guns and light machine guns. ‘Light weapons’ are, broadly speaking, weapons designed for use by two or three persons serving as a crew, although some may be carried and used by a single person. They include, heavy machine guns, hand-held under-barrel and mounted grenade launchers, portable anti-aircraft guns, portable anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles, portable launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems, portable launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems, and mortars of a calibre of less than 100 millimetres. Seized: arms that have been physically apprehended during the reported period by a competent authority, whether temporarily or not, in relation to a suspected criminal offence or administrative violation related to these arms. For the purpose of the calculation of indicator 16.4.2, only arms that were seized due to criminal offences are considered. Found: arms apprehended by authorities that are not linked to an intentional or planned investigation or inspection, neither attributable to any apparent holder or owner, regardless of whether the items were reported lost or stolen. Surrendered: arms willingly handed over to authorities that are not linked to a planned investigation or inspection. The surrender may occur as a personal initiative of a citizen in the context of a voluntary surrender campaign and disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration processes, inter alia. Illicit origin: Earliest point in time in the life of an arm where it was of an illicit nature. In order to establish the illicit origin, it is necessary to identify the point of diversion of the arm and the circumstances around it. Point of diversion: the point in space and time and/or circumstances when arms left the licit circuit and entered the illicit one. If identified through tracing, the last legal record needs to be found. For arms illicitly manufactured, the point of diversion is the manufacture itself. Last legal record: last recorded information available about the item, its status (deactivated, stolen, lost, seized, found, surrendered, sent for destruction, confiscated, in transit, etc.) and its legal end-user. The identification of the last legal record may require the initiation of several individual tracing requests. Tracing: the systematic tracking of weapons and, where possible, their parts and components, and ammunition, at the national and/or international level for the purpose of assisting the competent authorities of States parties in detecting, investigating and analysing illicit manufacturing and illicit trafficking. Illicit origin established by a competent authority in line with international instruments: illicit origin established through means other than tracing, e.g. through intelligence. In the case of arms that are not traceable, this is the only mean to establishing the illicit origin. |
| Unit of measure |
Number |
| Classifications |
Offences against illegal possession of fire arms and ammunitions well-articulated in Firearms ACT CAP.114 |
| Data sources |
In Kenya, this data is produced by Kenya Police Services. This is reported under table 17.3 of the Economic Survey |
| Data collection method |
KNBS sends a data template to the Head of Kenya Police Service on an annual basis. Kenya Police Service compiles the data from their administrative records on reported homicide cases and sends them back to KNBS for validation and publication in the Economic Survey. |
| Data collection calendar |
Annual |
| Data release calendar |
May 2024 |
| Data providers |
Kenya Police Services |
| Data compilers |
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics |
| Institutional mandate |
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) is established under the Statistics Act, 2006 as the principal agency of the Government for collecting, analyzing and disseminating statistical data in Kenya, as the custodian of official statistical information and promoting effective statistical coordination of NSS. |
| Rationale |
While Target 16.4 aims at significantly reducing illicit arms flows, directly measuring these types of flows is extremely difficult due to the underground nature of illicit arms trafficking. Therefore, the indicator does not aim at measuring these flows, but the efficiency with which the international community combats the phenomenon of illicit arms trafficking. |
| Comment and limitations |
The indicator covers the efficiency of the justice system. |
| Method of computation |
The indicator is calculated as a proportion. The denominator of the proportion is the total number of arms seized, found and surrendered. The numerator will include all those arms for which the point of diversion was established / identified, either through tracing or by a competent authority (e.g. through intelligence). However, the indicator is reported in number in Kenya. |
| Validation |
Upon receiving filled-in data templates from Kenya Police Services, KNBS reviews and validates the data as per the Kenya Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (KeSQAF) and Principles of Official statistics through the Governance Peace and Security Statistics Technical Working Committee. |
| Methods and guidance available to countries for the compilation of the data at the national level |
The United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (UN-CTS) includes further information on illegally possessed firearms and ammunitions per country. |
| Quality management |
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics is ISO certified based on 9001:2015 Standard requirements. The processes of compilation, production, publication and dissemination of data, including quality control, are carried out following the methodological framework and standards established by the KNBS, in compliance with the Internationally acceptable standards |
| Quality assurance |
The KNBS adheres to Kenya Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (KesQAF) that underlines principles to be assured in managing the statistical production processes and output. Data consistency and quality checks are conducted through Technical Working Groups (TWGs) before publication and dissemination. |
| Quality assessment |
The KNBS adheres to Kenya Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (KesQAF) that underlines principles to be assured in managing the statistical production processes and output. Data consistency and quality checks are conducted through Technical Working Groups (TWGs) before publication and dissemination. |
| Data availability and disaggregation |
Data Availability Data available at National level and County level. Time Series 2015 - 2023 Disaggregation National and County |
| Comparability/deviation from international standards |
The information is only available at National level nevertheless there is need to capture by type of firearm and ammunition. |
| References and Documentation |
URl: |
| Metadata last updated | Aug 28, 2025 |