Why government has cancelled licences for nine security firms
Nine security companies have had their licenses cancelled for not complying with the law.
Mr Fazul Mohamed the Director General of Private Security Regulatory Authority listed down the companies and said that they had breached the provisions of the Private Regulation Act.
The nine companies include; Victory Protective Services Africa Limited, Victory Consultants Limited, Bedrock Security Services Limited, Bedrock Security Alarms Systems and Product Limited and Senaca East Africa Limited.
Others are; Hipora Security Solutions Limited, Salama Fikira International (Kenya) Limited, Marco Security Limited and Superb Marketing Solutions Limited.
“Pursuant to the Private Security Regulations Act number 13 of 2016, the Authority hereby notifies users, prospective users, representatives of users of private security services and the general public that it has cancelled the certificates of the companies,” the statement read in part.
The companies were also accused of violating the terms and conditions attached to their certificates of registration as corporate private security service providers, failing, declining and/or refusing to comply with minimum wage regulations and they also contravening section 33 of the Act having employed and/or engaged Private Security Officers who do not own Guard Force Numbers as proof of registration by the Authority.
It is worth noting that any company or member of the public who hires or employs a company that is not licensed commits an offence and shall be liable to a fine or both such fine and imprisonment in the case of a natural person and Sh2 million in the case of a corporation.
“The purpose of this legal notice is to bring this information to the attention of users, prospective users or representatives of users of security services and further advice that they must not procure, hire or otherwise engage security services from the listed companies,” the statement further read.
The cancellation of the licenses of the nine companies comes at a time when there is an ongoing debate on how security guards are paid.
Currently, plans are underway to have the security guards get their salaries increased by Sh30,000.
The Private Security Regulatory Authority has rolled out plans to make it mandatory for the employers of close to one million members who are security guards, to earn the minimum gazetted wage.
The regulations also say all guards must have a Guard Force Number (GFN).
GFN is the only proof that a private security officer has been duly registered and licensed by the authority under the provisions of the law, a copy of a legal notice says.
Employers who fail to adhere to the requirements shall be liable to a fine or both fine and imprisonment in the case of a natural person, and Sh2 million in the case of a corporation.