• According to the PSRA, the operating licenses were cancelled over allegations of violating various regulations.
• Cancellation followed the lapse of a seven-day notice to the firms to comply with a directive to increase the guard's salary to at least Sh30,000.
Image: MINA
Interior CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki has reversed a directive by the Private Security Regulations Authority (PSRA), cancelling licenses to nine private security firms.
The licenses were revoked in February, through a gazette notice dated February 5.
"It is hereby notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration has revoked Legal Notice No. PSRA/001/2024 dated 5th February 2024 by the Private Security Regulatory Authority as published in my Gov Newspaper on 6th February 2024," reads a notice seen by the Star.
According to the PSRA, the operating licenses were cancelled over allegations of violating various regulations.
The cancellation followed the lapse of a seven-day notice to the firms to comply with a directive to increase the guard's salary to at least Sh30,000.
PSRA Director General Mohamed Fazul said;
“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 licenses of the Private Security Companies listed in the schedule hereto.”
The grounds listed as being behind the move include allegations that they had breached the provisions of the Private Security Regulation Act No. 13 of 2016, violated the terms and conditions attached to their certificates of registration as corporate private security service providers and failed, declined and/or refused to comply with minimum wage regulations.
They also allegedly contravened Section 33 of the Act having employed and/or engaged Private Security Officers who do not have Guard Force Numbers as proof of registration by the Authority in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Mahamed said the law says anyone who hires, employs or otherwise engages the services of any unlicensed private security firm commits an offence and shall be liable to a fine or and imprisonment in the case of a natural person and Sh2 million in the case of a corporate.
“The purpose of this notice is to bring this information to the attention of users, prospective users or representatives of users of security services and further advise that they must not procure, hire or otherwise engage security services from the above listed non-compliant private security companies.”
Private security providers have petitioned the National Assembly for the reinstatement of the licenses of 9 security firms cancelled by the Private Security Regulations Authority (PSRA).
Officials of the Protective Security Industry Association (PSIA) led by Chairman Cosmas Mutava claimed that PSRA's cancellation of licenses was done without following the proper procedures outlined in the PSRA Act Articles 32 and 43, which require notice and appeal before taking such a drastic measure.