The Kenya Private Security Workers Union (KPSWU) has urged the government to revoke the licences of private security firms that constantly flout compliance requirements.
The union has called upon the government to act swiftly and save the sector from unscrupulous owners of private firms who are not complying with the standards set out to bring professionalism and fairness to the sector.
In a statement issued on Friday October 10, KPSWU Secretary General Isaac Andabwa revealed that some firms were not complying with regulations set by the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA), which is frustrating security guards.
Andabwa expressed concern that, despite the gazetted reforms, such as the six per cent minimum wage increment and the introduction of the guard force numbe, security workers had not yet enjoyed the benefits due to the firms' alleged deliberate non-compliance with the directive.
“The new leadership of PSRA, particularly the CEO and the Board, is supposed to revisit their mandate. Because you can not be licensing thieves in this industry,” he said.
“The regulator is licensing people who are not complying with your own government guidelines. How does that look on you? You need to give a license to a business or investor who has the interests of the country at heart, who is operating within the government guidelines,” Andabwa added.
The SG argued there was no point in awarding licenses to the same people who flouted government guidelines, adding that their industry was being brought down by cartels.
“What we need to do is think of the policy of the government. Anybody who cannot afford to go by the government guidelines should not be licensed to operate in the industry,” Andabwa asserted.
Minimum Wage
The plea comes after KPSWU, back in February 2025, urged the government to close down security firms that had failed to comply with the minimum wage requirement.
In October 2024, President William Ruto announced a 6 per cent rise in minimum wages across various sectors.
The announcement, made through a gazette notice issued on Friday, October 11, signed by then Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua.
Outlined in the Labour Institutions Act, Cap 234, the wage bill set the minimum wage for unskilled employees at Ksh7,997 per month, translating to Ksh335 per day.
Night watchmen working in the cities were to receive a daily rate of Ksh813, translating to Ksh16,959 per month, while those in all former municipalities and town councils of Mavoko, Ruiru, and Limuru, the monthly salary should be Ksh15,722, with the rest of the night watchmen being paid Ksh9,672.
