You could soon be able to get a private security guard,
bouncer or events security stewards at your fingertips.
That is if a plan by immediate former Private Security
Regulatory Authority (PSRA) Director General Fazul Mahammed goes through.
Fazul has created a digital application- a guard-hailing
app- which, once launched and mobilized, will enable Kenyans to hire private
security guards as they wish.
Apart from the security guards, those in need of bouncers,
event security stewards, or guides will be able to get them directly on the app
hassle-free.
Fazul contends this will enable the guards to gain more in
terms of pay.
“Forget everything you thought you knew about the private
security industry. It is broken! Some security guards are being exploited,
overworked and underpaid as a handful of owners of security firms fill their
bank accounts,” he said.
Fazul emphasized that the guards have been trained by
licensed training institutions and registered by the PSRA.
Those qualified are retained in a register and issued with a
Guard Force Number, which is a unique identifier and proof that a guard has
undergone security training and is registered by PSRA.
There are 40 training institutions across the country, which
have been accredited by the PSRA to train the private security guards and
bouncers.
“Some guards can form a unique group, for instance, guides to
various parks who can be hired by tourists.
“PSRA has a complaint handling and dispute resolution
mechanism to deal with complaints against the registered guards,” he said.
The move is likely to face resistance from the private
security firms who see it as a way of driving them out of business.
“We are launching the most disruptive transformation in
private security since its inception. A revolutionary technology platform that
cuts out the middlemen, connecting clients directly with security guards,”
Fazul said.
He added that in the same way Uber revolutionized the taxi
industry by connecting drivers directly with passengers, this platform removes
the necessity of security firms acting as intermediaries.
“Similarly, Airbnb disrupted the hotel industry by allowing
homeowners to offer accommodation directly to travellers, and Netflix and
YouTube shifted control of content from studios to content creators”
According to Fazul, the platform follows the same model,
cutting out security firms that have long controlled security guard employment
and remuneration to the detriment of guards and clients alike.
He said the platform has already on-boarded 800,000 security
guards to surpass 1.3 million, and it is on course to become the
single largest employer outside the government.
“By leveraging technology, this platform eliminates the
traditional inefficiencies associated with security companies, such as
bureaucracy, excessive administrative costs, and profit-driven wage
suppression.”
“Clients will now pay directly for security services without
intermediaries, resulting in cost savings while ensuring that security guards
receive fair wages, particularly in the wake of the landmark High Court
judgment upholding the minimum wage of Sh30,000 for security guards,” he added.
With the new platform, customers will pay between Sh800 and
Sh900 for security services per day, down from the current rate of around
Sh1,500.
He reckons this app, which rides on the sharing economy, or
gig economy, like Uber or Airbnb, will be highly disruptive like Safaricom's
decision to charge customers only when they make a call, that is billing per
second as opposed to per minute.
Similarly, customers will pay for security guards on a need
basis.
In addition to the current pool of qualified private
security guards, totaling around 1,300,000, Fazul intends to also recruit from
the pool of thousands of young people who graduate from the National Youth
Service (NYS) with some security training.
Why This Changes
Everything
He argued security companies currently inflate costs through
administrative overheads that are not core to actual security services.
“By removing these middlemen, clients will save huge amounts
because they are no longer paying for unnecessary bureaucracy. They pay for
security, nothing else.”
“Clients can select security personnel based on their
specific needs,” he said.
“You want a security guard for one night? A close protection
officer for a week? A full-time security team? Now you decide at the tap of a
button, with zero friction. You are no longer restricted to a one-size-fits-all
service package from a security company.”
Fazul states that unlike the traditional system where
security guards are assigned postings without choice, the platform grants them
the ability to choose their own assignments, work hours, and days off.
This shift grants guards autonomy over their employment,
enhancing job satisfaction and productivity.
He added that through the platform, clients can scale security up
or down instantly on a need basis.
“No more long-term contracts that don’t make sense. For
example, in a residential neighborhood, security needs may vary depending on
the day of the week, on Sundays, when most residents are at home, fewer
security guards may be required, whereas on Mondays, when the majority are at
work, an increased security presence may be necessary to deter potential
threats.”
He added the system will enable an on-demand emergency
response.
Currently, if an incident occurs at a property or business
guarded by a security company, response time depends on the company’s
resources.
“For example, if a property in Karen is guarded by a
security firm, an emergency would require waiting for the security firm’s
emergency patrol car, which could take over an hour. With this platform,
emergency response vehicles are deployed based on proximity rather than company
affiliation, drastically improving response time and safety.”
He argued that one of the most prevalent issues in the private
security industry is tax evasion.
“Reports indicate that private security firms evade more than
Sh14 billion in taxes annually. Security companies often underreport revenues
and exploit loopholes to avoid taxation.”
“By digitizing payments and ensuring all transactions occur
transparently through the platform, the Government wins. The Clients win. Security
guards win,” he said.
He argued the platform is an economic revolution that
empowers security guards, enhances security, and disrupts an outdated business
model.
“As history has shown, industries that fail to evolve with
technology face obsolescence. The security sector is no exception. The platform
has the potential to facilitate transactions exceeding one billion dollars in
revenue for security guards.”
