In a statement issued last week, the CoD condemned the murder of three people and the wounding of three others in a shooting spree at a Katutura shebeen earlier this month.

The opposition party also cited a shooting incident at Onderombapa in the Omaheke Region last year, and the recent robbery and murder of a comet watcher outside Windhoek as evidence of the need to review gun laws.

"The CoD believes there are much too many firearms out there, both licensed and unlicensed, in the hands of irresponsible people.

"To avoid the kind of tragic incident as happened last Friday, and generally shooting incidents as happened at Onderombapa…, or the "comet" shooting…, from happening again, and to ensure the greatest protection for innocent members of society, Government and the Namibian society should consider banning gun ownership, save in the most exceptional of circumstances," the party said.

"Generally there is no need for members of the public to go about armed.

More specifically, members of the public should not be armed in public places such as shebeens, shops or theatres," it said.

The fact that the suspect in the Katutura shooting had his gun confiscated before, and only received it back weeks before the latest incident, showed that the Police were aware that he was a safety risk, the CoD charged.

"This should not be the kind of 'free' society Namibians should be building," it said.

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