Australia has announced a sweeping national gun buyback scheme, its largest in nearly three decades, following a horrific terrorist attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead. The decisive policy shift down under throws a sharp light on the complex and often frustrating struggle against gun violence and terrorism here at home.

The move is a direct response to the carnage on Sunday, December 14, when a father-son duo opened fire on a Jewish festival. The attack, which authorities have declared an antisemitic terrorist incident, has shaken Australia to its core and prompted immediate action from the highest levels of government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the urgency of the new measures, noting that one of the attackers legally held a firearms license and possessed six guns. "There is no reason someone living in the suburbs of Sydney needed this many guns," Albanese stated, highlighting a critical loophole in the existing laws. There are now over 4 million registered firearms in Australia, a number greater than at the time of the nation's last major gun control overhaul.

A National Reckoning Down Under

This new buyback is modeled on the landmark 1996 National Firearms Agreement, which was implemented after a lone gunman killed 35 people at Port Arthur, Tasmania. That event led to the destruction of more than 650,000 firearms and is credited with a significant drop in gun deaths. The new scheme, funded jointly by the federal and state governments, is expected to collect and destroy hundreds of thousands more weapons.

The national cabinet, comprising federal and state leaders, has unanimously agreed to bolster gun laws further. Key reforms being explored include:

• Accelerating the launch of a national firearms register.
• Limiting the number of guns a single person can own.
• Making Australian citizenship a condition for holding a gun license.
• Restricting the types of legal weapons.

Echoes of Terror: A Kenyan Perspective

For Kenyans, the swift, policy-driven response in Australia presents a moment for reflection. Our nation has endured its own horrific terrorist attacks, from Westgate to Garissa and DusitD2, often perpetrated by assailants with illegally acquired automatic weapons. The proliferation of illicit firearms, particularly from conflict-ridden neighbouring countries, remains a persistent threat to national security.

While Kenyan authorities have made efforts, including the recent destruction of over 6,000 illegal firearms, the challenge is immense. Issues of corruption, porous borders, and the sheer volume of weapons in the region complicate the fight. Australia's ability to enact sweeping, uniform legislation after a national tragedy stands in stark contrast to the often reactive and fragmented security responses seen in our region.

The Bondi Beach attack was committed with legally obtained firearms, a fact that spurred immediate legislative review in Australia. This raises critical questions for us: as Kenya continues to vet legal firearm holders and battles a flood of illegal arms, what lessons can be learned from a country that is once again choosing to fundamentally restrict civilian access to weapons in the name of national safety?