48hr ultimatum issued to private security firms to submit guards credentials

The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) Director General Fazul Mohammed has directed all private security companies to submit all credentials belonging to their security guards within 48 hours.

In a statement, the companies were ordered to hand over national IDs, academic certificates and other personal documents.

Mohammed faulted the private security firms for illegally withholding the documents which he said further demeans the rights of Private Security Officers.

He said the Authority is committed to ensuring that the rights of private security officers are upheld and that any form of exploitation is eradicated.

Mohammed further warned that appropriate legal action will be taken on those companies that will fail to comply with the directive including revocation of their operating licenses.

Meanwhile, hundreds of security guards from various private security companies turned up for the mass registration exercise on 30th March convened by the PSRA in line with the ongoing mandatory nationwide security vetting, training, and licensing of private security officers.

Speaking during the ceremony, Mohammed issued an ultimatum for firms to increase the minimum wage for private security officers to Ksh 30,000 per month.

His sentiments were echoed by United Democratic Party UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala.

Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja who was in attendance called on government institutions and unions to come up with a roadmap for the implementation of the minimum wage for private security guards even as G4S Kenya Managing Director Laurence Okelo called for adherence.

Currently, the minimum wage pay for daytime security guards is Ksh 15,201 while night security officers get a pay of Ksh 16,959.