The board of the Private Security Regulatory Authority (a government agency), on Thursday, denied comments by the regulator’s Chief Executive Fazul Mahamed that private security guards will be armed by June 2019.
The authority indicated that the initial plan to arm the guards will be enforced when the law that prevents the move is replaced by one that warrants it.
Fazul made the comments in January while in a meeting at the Railways Club in Nairobi. He claimed that the government agency would begin vetting the private security guards for purposes of accessing their capabilities of handling and using guns.
He also indicated that the board would advertise for institutions to facilitate the training of the guards.
Erick Okeyo, the vice chair of the Regulatory Authority, however, informed that the board had not yet decided on any timelines for the implementation of the proposed plan as it was waiting for the action of the legislature.
According to a report by The Star, Okeyo indicated, “There exists no pronouncement by the board on this issue. The board transacts its business by way of resolution.”
According to Section 53 of the law for the establishment of the PSRA, security firms that engage in actions of arming guards are liable to fines amounting to Ksh2.5 million.
The Firearms Act, on the other hand, also prevents the arming of civilians in an effort to protect the general public.
Okeyo asserted, “For now, our focus is to help the PSRA to fully implement the Act as it were. As the PSRA, we can’t amend the law.”
