Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore has suspended the proposed increase of security guards’ monthly salary to Ksh30,000.
In a comprehensive statement dated Wednesday, January 31, CS Bore expressed that her ministry could not verify and endorse the widely circulated recommendations.
She clarified that the Labour Ministry lacked information on the proposed salary hike for security guards and redirected the responsibility to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.
“As a Ministry, we cannot authenticate the stated publications and this is best responded to by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration or the Authority who are referred to in the publications,” her statement read.
CS Bore emphasized that the purported Ksh30,000 salary adjustment for private security guards was announced by the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PRSA), falling under the jurisdiction of the Interior Ministry.
She elaborated that her approval was hindered by an ongoing court case regarding the monthly remuneration of private security guards.
“As the matter is sub judice, I will not discuss the merits or demerits of the issues raised therein. We are confident the Court will render a just and fair verdict, in accordance with our Constitution and the law,” she remarked.
CS Bore consequently halted the push for a salary increase, insisting that security guards should be compensated according to the Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2022. She urged stakeholders to remain calm as the government addresses the challenges associated with the salary hike directive.
Bore issued the statement in response to the Private Security Regulatory Authority’s ultimatum, giving companies 30 days to comply with the new minimum wage structure.
PSRA Chief Executive Faizul Mahamed specified that security guards in Nairobi should earn Ksh30,000, while those in other parts of the country should receive Ksh27,183. He stressed that this figure represented the minimum wage for all security officers in compliance with existing laws.
“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,” stated the letter.
“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.”
