Age limit for owning a gun
I own a gun and intend to buy a second one for myself, and one for my son who is 17 years old. Does the law limit the number of guns that one person can own and can a person who is under the age of 18 years own a gun in Tanzania?
LF, Musoma
Under the Firearms and Ammunition Control Regulations, 2016 a private person cannot be licenced to possess more than one pistol or shotgun or more than two rifles of different calibres. You can only be licenced to possess the second gun if the first gun you possess is a rifle but if it is a pistol, you cannot be licenced to possess the second one.
On age limitation for possession of a gun, section 11 of the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act, 2015 prescribes qualifications for owning a gun in Tanzania. One of the conditions is that the applicant for a firearm licence should be not less than 25 years old at the time of applying for the licence. In addition to the age requirement, the applicant should have a competency certificate showing that he has undergone training on the use and safe handling of firearms at an approved Government or private institution. Other conditions that the applicant should meet are that he must be citizen of Tanzania or should be a holder of a Tanzania residence permit; be mentally stable and not inclined to violence; is not dependent on drug or any substance which has intoxicating or narcotic effect; should not have a conviction record and has not been declared unfit to possess a firearm due to recklessness, old age or any other disability. Since your son is under the age of 25 years, he is legally disqualified from possessing a firearm.