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Nine private security firms lose licences
Private Security Regulatory Authority Director-General, Fazul Mahamed during an interview in his office in Nairobi on September 18, 2023. FILE PHOTO | NMG
The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has revoked the licences of nine private securities companies for various breaches of the law, including allegedly failing to comply with minimum wage requirements.
The nine firms are Senaca East Africa Limited, Superb Marketing Solutions Limited, Salama Fikira International (Kenya) Limited, Hipora Security Solutions Limited, and Bedrock Security Alarms Systems and Product Limited.
Others are Victory Protective Services Africa Limited, Victory Consultants Limited, Bedrock Security Services Limited and Marco Security Limited.
“Pursuant to Sections 10 (c), 31 (b) and 32 of the Private Security Regulation Act No. 13 of 2016, the Authority hereby notifies users, prospective users, representatives of users of private security services and the general public that it has with immediate effect cancelled the certificates of registration and licences of the private security companies listed in the schedule hereto,” said PSRA chief executive Fazul Mahamed in a notice.
According to the regulator, the firms breached the provisions of the Private Security Regulation Act, 2016 and “violated the terms and conditions attached to their certificates of registration as corporate private security service providers”.
PSRA said that the security companies “failed, declined and/or refused to comply with minimum wage regulations” and contravened Section 33 of the Act by having hired guards who are not registered.
“The purpose of this legal notice is to bring this information to the attention of users, prospective users or representatives of users of security services and further advice that they must not procure, hire or otherwise engage security services from the above listed non-compliant private security companies,” said Mr Mahamed.
The cancellation of the licences comes amid an increased spotlight on the sector in recent weeks.
PSRA last month gave private security firms seven days to commit themselves to paying the minimum wage of Sh30,000 and Sh27,183 for those operating in Nairobi and outside Nairobi, respectively.
Employment and Labour Relations court judge Mathews Nduma Nderi, however, last week issued a temporary order stopping the implementation of the salary increment.
The judge said that the Authority lacks the powers to set a minimum wage for security guards as this duty is reserved for the wages council as provided by the Labour Institutions Act.
