The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has issued a seven-day notice to private security companies reminding them to comply with the minimum wage set for private security guards.
In a statement dated January 29, PSRA Director General Fazul Mohamed said any company that will not have submitted a signed commitment within the next seven days will risk deregistration.
“Any private security company that fails to submit a duly signed and commissioned copy of the Legal Commitment within the next 7 days from the date of this directive shall be subjected to a statutory review of its registration and licensing status,’ Fazul said in the statement.
According to Fazul Mohamed, the companies will submit their signed commitment through the authority’s email address, info@psra.go.ke.
“All private security companies must sign and submit to info@psra.go.ke a copy of the hereto attached Legal Commitment to pay Government set minimum wage for private security officers, as stipulated in Legal Notice No. PSRA/005/2023,” added PSRA.
The notice came days after the private security regulator issued a statement notifying employers of new minimum wages for security guards.
In the notice published on November 2, 2023, PSRA set the minimum gross pay for security guards at Ksh30,000.
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New Minimum Pay Set by PSRA
The pay, according to the notice, would comprise Ksh18,994 basic pay, a house allowance of Ksh2,849, and an overtime allowance of Ksh 8,156.
If adopted, the minimum wage set by PSRA would see security guards receive a minimum pay of Ksh26,000 after all statutory deductions.
The move, PSRA noted, was aimed at improving both the welfare of the private security officers as well as the financial profile of the companies offering security services.
“Compliance with the legal notice will not only improve on the welfare of the Private Security Officer but also improve on the financial profile of Security Companies,” PSRA wrote in the notice.
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In a subsequent statement, PRSA vowed to continue fighting for fair remuneration for all Private Security Guards.
But the news about the minimum wage sparked jitters among some quarters with some employers raising concerns about the financial implications.
Complying with the rule would see private security companies stretch their budgets to meet the minimum wage set and in turn lead to more charges imposed on their clients.