Private companies employing watchmen and other security guards have been issued a 7-day ultimatum to comply with a directive mandating a minimum monthly wage of Ksh30,000 for these personnel.
The announcement came through a letter released by Faizul Mahamed, the Chief Executive of the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA), on Monday, January 29. In the letter, Mahamed specified that security guards in Nairobi should receive a monthly wage of Ksh30,000, while those in other parts of the country should be paid Ksh27,183. These figures, he emphasized, represent the minimum wage in accordance with existing laws.
To ensure strict adherence to this order, Mahamed instructed all private security companies to sign a legal commitment letter affirming their commitment to paying security guards the stipulated minimum wage. The letter stated, “All private security companies must sign and submit to [email protected] a copy of the hereto attached legal commitment to pay government-set minimum wage for private security officers.”
He further warned, “Take notice: Any private security company that fails to submit a duly signed and commissioned copy of the legal commitment within the next seven days from the date of this directive shall be subjected to a statutory review of its registration and licensing status.”
In addition to signing the commitment letter, companies were directed to ensure monthly payments to security guards and maintain accurate records of these transactions. The commitment comes with the understanding that non-compliance with the government-set minimum wage could lead to legal consequences, including fines, penalties, and potential license cancellation.
The Private Security Regulatory Authority cautioned that failure to adhere to this commitment could result in companies facing deregistration and other legal penalties. Stakeholders argue that establishing a minimum wage is crucial to safeguarding the well-being of security guards, who play a vital role in ensuring citizens’ security.
