The government has mandated that guests of hotels, accommodations, and lodging places must now provide their identification documents for recording and withholding during their stay.

According to the Private Security Regulatory Authority, this is in reaction to an alarming surge in recorded criminal activity, including incidents of murder, within residential homes, particularly those listed on internet booking platforms like Airbnb.

PHOTO | COURTESY Airbnbs Guests will be required to leave IDs at the entrance

“At the entry of any premises or property within the jurisdiction and care of a private security service provider, a security guard or a security officer, the private security service provider, security guard or officer shall require a person to identify themselves, register the time of entrance and exit of the person and retain temporarily the identification document of such person,” read a statement from the authority.

Did you read this?

  1. Airbnb Bans Security Cameras In Guest Homes
  2. Femicide: Crackdown On Unregistered Airbnbs To Begin Next Week
  3. Airbnb Distances Itself From Nairobi Murders, Says Apartments Were Not Booked On The Site

Furthermore, security officers must record the identification data of all individuals accessing such premises in a register and the time of entry and exit for each person.

A log of all vehicles, rickshaws, and motorbikes entering and leaving the facilities must be kept, and security personnel must ensure that the CCTV and security cameras are in good working order and that the footage is up to date.

PHOTO | COURTESY ID

“Maintain an updated Access Control Policy, a copy of which should be strategically displayed at the point of entry and exit at the guarded premises, and maintain a security occurrence book to record daily significant incidents and notable events relating to the safety of residents and guests within the premises,” the statement added.

The identification documents submitted at the point of entry must be returned to the person at the point of exit and not be utilized for any purpose other than identification.

“A private security service provider who violates Section 48 of the Act, uses the identification documents/details surrendered by individuals at the entry of any premises or property for any other purpose save for identification, and/or wilfully fails to comply with this directive, commits an offence and shall in addition to the cancellation of license, be liable on conviction to the penalty prescribed under the aforementioned Act or any other written law whichever is higher,” the regulator said.