The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has announced the successful conclusion of a countrywide public participation exercise on the Private Security Regulations 2025, with industry stakeholders unanimously agreeing that it is time that they pass the regulations.
The regulations comprising four key aspects including the general regulations, use of animals, procedure for appointment of board members, and the Fidelity Fund are set to usher in a new era of professionalism and order in the private security sector.
“Today has marked a milestone in our journey,” said Philip Leakey Okello, the PSRA CEO, during a media briefing on Monday.
He emphasised that the authority’s goal is not an exercise in futility but to bring order, sanity to the activities that they do.
The CEO was keen to stress that the final draft regulations were not crafted by the Authority alone but were an industry-led initiative.
“These regulations are not made by me,” he stated. “Actually, it was made by the players of the industry.”
This sentiment was corroborated by the moderator Michael Ogwanda, who oversaw the drafting process.
Ogwanda confirmed that multiple security bodies, including the Kenya Security Industry Association (KSIA) and the Protective Security Industry Association (PSIA), had convened for an intense two-day session, going through line by line, discussing every aspect of security.
“I can reaffirm that these regulations were made by the industry stakeholders,” Ogwanda said, acknowledging that while the document is not perfect, it has met the expectations of industry stakeholders.
Ogwanda said that the committee will now retreat to fine-tune it and incorporate the final comments before handing the draft to the PSRA.
For security officers on the ground, the new framework has been hailed as a chance to finally address long-standing grievances.
Moses Otieno, representing the Kenya Private Security Association (KPSA), stated that his organisation’s mandate is to push for the well-being of officers, including social welfare, social protection, issues to do with benevolence, retirement, sickness and many issues that affect officers on the ground.
Otieno said these crucial issues have never found themselves on the table but with the new entity and PSRA involvement, he stated that he is certain that we are going to be heard and transform the sector. He noted, however, that even with the new Act and regulations, some officers on the ground still don’t feel that there is a transformation happening.
The PSRA CEO also addressed specific industry complaints, particularly a recent statement by the Kenya Association of Security Professionals regarding annual licence renewal fees and a mandatory levy.
Okello refuted the claim that security companies would be forced to pay Sh350,000 annually, stating the actual fee is 75 percent below their quoted amount.
He urged those lodging complaints to acquaint themselves with the regulations.
He also defended the imposition of a one per cent punitive levy, saying it is not punitive but is towards meeting the administrative cost of the authority, a practice common in other sectors like the tourism and financial industries.
The public participation session showcased active scrutiny of the draft, Koech kasizzi, a coordinator from Northridge, raised critical questions, including the procedure for the disposal of bodies of animals used in security, how to punish companies that employ personnel in a very fictitious manner without formal registration, and whether the private security’s power of arrest under Section 46 of the Act applies to a civil or criminal offence.
The stakeholders were informed that private security providers will have powers to arrest and search, but this is strictly limited to the premises to which they provide security, clarifying that they cannot pursue activities outside their designated group sets.
Furthermore, the regulations allow the Inspector General of Police to request written cooperation from a private security firm in cases of national security threats.
The regulations focus on welfare and protection, explicitly prohibiting the use of dogs or animals that have been trained to kill a human being or those that are sick or injured.
In a move towards inclusivity, Philip Mwendo from Cross o Firm, a young security professional, proposed an amendment to the board appointment procedure allowing the youth below 40 years eligibility to serve.
Samuel Timok, the director of UNICEF Security, expressed his support, noting that the regulations ensure that qualified firms are the only ones getting used.
The PSRA CEO also issued a separate safety directive to Airbnb owners and short-stay hotels, urging them to install functional, working CCTVs and capture details of entrants and exiters to avoid some small crimes that end up in murder, noting these requirements are captured in the new regulations.
The views and comments from the public will be considered, after which the draft will be submitted to the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration for onward transmission to Parliament.
By Lucy Mwende
