President William Ruto has directed all government institutions, public offices and employers to stop referring to private security guards as "watchmen" and instead adopt the official title "private security officers."
Speaking during a meeting with private security personnel at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday, August 6, Ruto said the laws governing the sector would be amended to formally recognise the new designation.
"I have directed all government offices and public offices to expunge the use of the word 'watchmen' so that they can use the name 'private security officers,'" Ruto said.
Ruto Warns Security Firms Paying Ksh6,000 as He Orders Ksh30,000 Salary
The President also ordered private security firms to comply with the government-approved minimum wage of Ksh30,000 for all private security officers and ensure all statutory deductions, including National Social Security Fund (NSSF) contributions, are remitted.
Ruto said some companies had ignored the directive he issued on Labour Day to raise the minimum wage by 15 per cent, with some employers continuing to pay workers as little as Ksh6,000 or Ksh7,000 per month.
"On May 1 this year, I issued a directive on minimum wage to be increased by 15 per cent, but I have been told that many companies have refused to increase minimum wage by 15 per cent. Today I am warning them," he said.
"Others are even paying as little as Ksh6,000 and Ksh7,000. The law of Kenya says that it is inhumane for a person to pay below the minimum wage."
He directed the Ministries of Interior and Labour, alongside the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA), to ensure all security companies comply with labour laws.
"Our good friends in the private security space, the regulator is here, the Ministry of Interior and Labour are here. We must work together to ensure all security companies operate within the parameters of the law," Ruto stated.
The latest directive comes nearly four years after the government gazetted a minimum gross monthly salary of Ksh30,000 for private security officers. The package comprises a basic salary of Ksh18,994, a house allowance of Ksh2,850 and overtime pay of Ksh8,157.
After statutory deductions, including NSSF, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and the Affordable Housing Levy, workers take home a minimum of Ksh26,415. Employers who fail to comply risk fines of up to Ksh2 million and possible imprisonment.
Ruto also criticised the award of government security contracts to firms that violate labour laws, saying companies that fail to pay the minimum wage should be barred from winning public tenders.
"The lowest bidder cannot be the one who does not pay minimum wage to these people. You cannot award a security contract to a security company that does not pay their employees minimum wage," he said.
The President gave the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labour, the PSRA, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and the National Police Service (NPS) 60 days to implement the directives and report on progress.
Career Of Security Officers
Beyond wages, Ruto ordered the establishment of a structured career progression framework for private security officers and called for closer collaboration between the industry and state security agencies.
"We have also agreed that you do important work in policing and ensuring there is security, a role that is no different from the work done by the police and other security officers. We will develop a framework for cooperation between the police and private security officers to ensure there is better security across Kenya," Ruto said.
He further directed government agencies and private sector stakeholders to develop a harmonised training curriculum for private security officers to standardise training, eliminate confusion and prevent duplication of roles across the sector.
