Fresh concerns have emerged from PADA Security, a private security company headquartered at Sigona Golf Club in Kikuyu, after employees accused the firm of paying guards below the legal minimum wage, failing to remit statutory deductions and allegedly dismissing workers who question the company's employment practices.
According to a whistleblower, many security guards working under the company are struggling to survive on salaries they claim are far below what is required under Kenya's minimum wage regulations, despite clients allegedly paying significantly higher amounts for security services.
The complainant alleges that some guards earn as little as KSh 8,000 per month, while clients are reportedly charged KSh 25,000 or more for the same security services. The whistleblower further claims that guards deployed to coffee estates in Kiambu and Murang'a counties earn approximately KSh 10,000, despite the client allegedly paying around KSh 30,000 per guard.
Workers argue that while they understand security companies incur operational costs such as uniforms, administration, insurance and supervision, the salaries allegedly paid to guards leave many unable to meet even the most basic household needs.
The whistleblower further alleges that the company has stopped remitting deductions made for the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), raising concerns that employees may be losing access to important social protection benefits despite deductions allegedly being reflected on their payslips.
According to the complainant, employees who attempt to follow up on the alleged non remittance of statutory deductions or question their salaries risk immediate dismissal. The worker says this has created an atmosphere of fear where many guards remain silent because they cannot afford to lose their jobs.
The allegations have renewed concerns about the treatment of security guards, who remain among the lowest paid workers in Kenya despite providing essential services in banks, hospitals, factories, schools, shopping centres and other critical installations.
Comparable concerns have previously been raised against Wanders Security, where employees alleged salaries had been withheld without explanation, leaving workers struggling to support their families. Those complaints prompted calls for the Ministry of Labour to investigate whether employees had been denied wages lawfully earned.
A similar dispute also emerged at Brooklyn Services, where workers accused the company of paying salaries as low as KSh 10,000 while allegedly failing to remit statutory deductions, including SHA, NSSF and the Housing Levy. Employees claimed they were left without payslips or proof that deductions had reached the relevant government agencies, raising fears about the security of their employment benefits.
Another comparable case involved employees at Casa Marketing Solutions, where workers complained of persistent salary delays that left many unable to pay rent, buy food or meet family obligations. The employees appealed to the Ministry of Labour after repeated promises of payment allegedly went unfulfilled, highlighting the growing number of labour disputes involving delayed or inadequate remuneration.
Kenya's Employment Act requires employers to pay employees in accordance with the law and honour the terms of employment, while employers who deduct statutory contributions are expected to remit those funds to the relevant agencies. Failure to remit statutory deductions can expose employees to the loss of healthcare and retirement benefits while potentially attracting regulatory action.
The affected workers are now appealing to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Social Health Authority, the National Social Security Fund, and the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) to investigate the allegations, establish whether guards are being paid in accordance with the applicable minimum wage orders and determine whether statutory deductions are being properly remitted.
Below is the complaint received, edited only for grammar and clarity: ¶
"Kindly hide my ID. There is this security company called PADA Security, headquartered at Sigona Golf Club in Kikuyu. The company is the worst I have ever worked for. They pay below the minimum wage and do not comply with labour laws. Imagine a guard earning only KSh 8,000 while the client pays KSh 25,000 or more for the same services. Currently, they have stopped paying SHA and NSSF. When you complain or follow up regarding the same, you are sacked immediately. They have a very big assignment in Kiambu and Murang'a counties for coffee firms with more than 100 guards. The client pays KSh 30,000 per guard, but the guards are paid only KSh 10,000. Please help us get justice and our rights as workers."