This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has appointed new members to the Private Security Association (PSA) Board, tasked with ensuring compliance with new regulations set to take effect in January 2020.
The new appointees, who will serve for three years under the Private Security Regulation Act, include Prof Stephen Ng'ang'a as board chairman, a position he also held in the previous board.
The six members were selected from representatives of guards' unions, security companies, their clients, and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA).
Representing guards' interests are Mr Isaac Andabwa and Mr Joash Soita, who also serve as Secretary-General and treasurer of the Kenya Private Security Workers Union, respectively.
Wells Fargo Kenya Director Jackson Mbuthia and Radar Security Limited CEO Andrew Solomon will represent the interests of both large and small private security firms.
Private security consumers, including residents' associations, will be represented by Mr Bernard Muriuki, while corporate companies will be represented by Mr Barry Stephen Patrick, CEO of G4S and a KEPSA board member.
The board will address pressing issues, including calls to extend the regulations deadline and the arming of private guards providing Cash in Transit and VIP protection services.
The appointments come two days after Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho told the National Assembly's Delegated Legislation Committee that the government was willing to negotiate the deadline, provided it was reasonable.
Sections of the regulations have been criticized by security guards' employers, who sought the committee's intervention to amend certain clauses and extend the compliance deadline by five years.
According to Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, "The ministry thought the six-month timeline given in July was adequate. We are not rigid but it's time we had a timeline within which everyone should comply. Time is negotiable but it must be reasonable."
