Private security firms given final notice on minimum wage

The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has issued a final notice to private security firms to commit to paying private security guards a minimum salary of Ksh30,000 per month by June 17, 2024, or risk cancellation of their certificates of registration.

In a notice released on Monday, June 10, 2024, the Authority’s director general Fazul Mahamed observed that despite several notices being sent out, some of the private security firms had refused to submit legally binding commitments to the minimum wage as set by the government.

“In furtherance of its mandate to ensure compliance with minimum wage regulations. the authority shall proceed without further reference or reminder, to exercise its powers under section 32 of the Private Security Regulation Act No. 13 of 2016,” Mahamed noted.

“Consequently, any private security company that fails to submit a duly signed and commissioned legal commitment to pay the government-set minimum wage of Ksh30,000 to private security guards by the close of business on June 17, 2024, will face immediate cancellation of their certificate of registration and subsequent deregistration from the register of licenced private security service providers.”

Private security strike

This comes just days after the Kenya National Private Security Workers Union (KNPSWU) issued a 21-day strike notice on Saturday, June 8, 2024, over what they called the government’s reluctance to honour the Ksh30,000 minimum wage requirement.

The Union’s secretary general Isaac Andabwa said that the continued lack of goodwill by the state to implement the minimum wage directive would be met by a nationwide strike where all private security guards would down their tools.

“If the government does not honour payslips, we will go on strike, and believe me, within 21 days, there will be an action,” Andabwa said.

Andabwa further noted that the grievances of the private security workers were being taken lightly and that they should be employed on stable and secure terms.

Mahamed clarified that there would be no Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that would be below the minimum wage of Ksh30,000, urging private security companies to act fast or face dire consequences.

Mahamed added that the authority will be conducting periodic checks on the state of compliance of the private security companies and updating the register accordingly.

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