Security guards manning private and public premises hosting lodgings and other forms of accommodation must take details of visitors and retain temporarily their identification documents.
A meeting of top security officers on Monday resolved to remind the guards of their duty.
The meeting was chaired by Interior Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo amid concerns of laxity on the side of owners in ensuring safety for the visitors in general.
This comes in the wake of two murder incidents at private apartments that offered lodging services in the city.
Director General of Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) Fazul Mahamed on Monday, January 15 wrote to all directors and managers of private security companies, providers and individual guards to remind them of their powers to record and temporarily withhold documents in accommodation, lodging and hospitality establishments.
“In response to the alarming increase in reported incidences of crime including murder cases, happening within residential apartments, particularly those affiliated with online accommodation, lodging, and hospitality platforms such as Airbnb, the Authority hereby issues the following directive aimed at addressing the emerging trends of insecurity to deter criminal activities within these premises and to further safeguard the safety of residents and guests,” he said.
He said section 48 of the Private Security Regulation Act empowers a private security officer stationed at the entry of any premises or property to require a person to identify themselves, register the time of entry and exit of the person and retain temporarily the identification documents of such a person.
“In furtherance of the above-stated provision of the law, all private security service providers offering private security services in residential apartments, lodging, and hospitality establishments are hereby directed to effective immediately comply with Section 48 of the Act.”
"At the entry of any premises or property within the jurisdiction and care of a private security service provider, a security guard or a security officer, the private security service provider, security guard or officer shall require a person to identify themselves, register the time of entrance and exit of the person and retain temporarily the identification document of such person," he added.
He told the guards to ensure that the identification details of all individuals accessing such premises are recorded in a register in an accurate and timely manner, documenting the time of entry and exit for each person.
Further, they must maintain a current and accurate log of all vehicles, rickshaws, and motorcycles entering and/or departing from the facilities within the jurisdiction of a private security service provider.
They should also maintain a register of all private security officers providing private security services in residential apartments, lodging, and hospitality premises for both day and night shifts.
The guards must also ensure that the CCTV and security cameras are in proper working condition and recording of footage is up-to-date and maintain an updated Access Control Policy a copy of which should be strategically displayed at the point of entry and exit at the guarded premises.
The guards were also told to maintain a security occurrence book to record daily significant incidents and notable events relating to the safety of residents and guests within the premises.
“The identification documents surrendered at the point of entry shall be returned to the person at the point of exit, not be used for any other purpose save for identification and be kept in safe custody until given back to the owner."
Fazul said a private security service provider who violates Section 48 of the Act, uses the identification documents/details surrendered by individuals at the entry of any premises or property for any other purpose save for identification, and/or willfully fails to comply with this directive, commits an offence.
The guards shall in addition to cancellation of licence, be liable on conviction to the penalty prescribed under the Act or any other written law whichever is higher.
The move came after it emerged a suspect in the murder of a 24-year-old woman in the Roysambu area used a fake number to call.
The suspect did not also leave his identification as required by law.
Preliminary findings show the man used fake documents and a mobile number registered under a woman’s name to book the room.
The house was not registered as an Airbnb.
Apart from a few images obtained from CCTV cameras in the area, police have nothing more to hold onto as they pursue the suspect.
The motive of the murder remains a mystery.
The team is working to release the captured images of the man to the public to help identify him.
The woman has not been identified and police picked her fingerprints for analysis as part of efforts to identify her.
Her head is missing. She was stabbed and chopped to death in an apartment along TRM Drive, Thika Road.
The man had booked himself on Saturday evening before the woman joined him at about 8 pm.
Come Sunday morning, he left alone, the caretaker at the apartment said adding he returned the key to the receptionist.
The caretaker went to check on the house and found some blood traces leading to the room.
He said he followed the blood stain traces which led him to a dustbin collection point where he and other neighbours discovered the remains of a person which prompted her to call the police.
The body had been dismembered and put in a polythene paper.
CCTV footage of the incident showed a man in black jeans, a black jumper, a navy blue shirt, specks, and a white cap booking the one-roomed house above a supermarket.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said they are looking for the suspect behind the murder.
He said the attendant and owner of the premises are helping police with the probe.