The government now requires employers of private security guards to pay them a minimum of Kes 30,000 gross salary each month to improve their terms of service and benefits.

The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) Director General Fazul Mahamed has established a minimum wage of Kes 18,994.08 for security guards, a home allowance of Kes 2,849.11, and an overtime allowance of Kes 8,156.81, a total gross pay of Kes 30,000.

“A person who hires, employs or otherwise engages the services of any private security service provider and pays or remunerates them below the mandated basic minimum wage prescribed herein commits an offence and shall be liable to a fine or to both such fine and imprisonment in the case of a natural person and two million shillings in the case of a corporate.” he stated.

Additionally, the Authority has started registering, licensing, and awarding Guard Force Numbers (GFN) to private security service providers globally, including corporate security officers, private security guards, and anybody else offering security services.

The Authority has declared that the terms of employment would be the same whether the person in question has worked for a government agency, body, or institution; for any individual; or security companies, corporate entities, associations, organizations, or any other legally recognized body.

“A person who operates as a private security service provider without being the holder of a valid training certificate from an institution accredited by the Authority; and/or operates as a private security service provider without being registered by the authority in accordance with the provisions of the act commits an offence and shall be liable to a fine or to both such fine and imprisonment in the case of a natural person and two million shillings in the case of a corporate.” Mahamed stated