The government has rolled out mandatory nationwide registration of private security guards to streamline operations in the sector.
Through the initiative, all private guards will be issued with security force numbers to enhance accountability in the sector that employs one million Kenyans.
State Department for Interior and National Administration Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Raymond Omollo said the move, which comes after the successful launch of a standardised training curriculum for the guards, targets to provide a structured framework for monitoring and regulating their activities while on duty.
He said the numbers would be issued to security guards who have successfully completed training in accordance with the private security training curriculum.
This number serves as a distinctive identifier designed to streamline the recognition of private security officers by the general public and also to facilitate the government’s ability to monitor and manage licensed security personnel effectively,” he said.
This, he said, will not only guarantee the safety and wellbeing of Kenyans but also contribute to the overall stability and resilience of the nation.
“We recognise that private security guards can be cogent partners for the maintenance of law and order. That is why we have come out strongly to prescribe this move to better track, evaluate, and elevate the quality of their services within our communities,” he said.
Speaking in Kisumu on Friday, where he presided over the opening of the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) regional office, the PS said the government was keen on the training of private security guards to ensure they received the necessary skills, knowledge, and ethical understanding required to navigate complex situations.
The PS, who also opened a private security guard training institution in Kisumu city, said the training programme would inject professionalism, competence, and integrity into the sector.
He challenged the private sector to open up more institutions to ensure that as many guards as possible receive the training.
“We expect private security training institutions to meet national training standards and international best practises in order to generate skilled labour not just for the Kenyan market but also for the global market,” he said.
He said the industry, which employs one million Kenyans, had a lot of potential, with annual revenues from the sector reaching Sh 100 billion.
The guards, he said, play a key role in the security sector, urging private security companies to look into their welfare and remuneration to ensure that they are motivated and committed to the job.
Private Security Regulatory Authority Director General Fazul Mahamed said over 450 security guards in the Nyanza region have been trained.
By Chris Mahandara
