CS Bore Denounces Kindiki On Paying Ksh30,000 Salary To Security Guards
CS Bore referred to reports indicating that the Government had set their minimum gross pay at Ksh30,000 per month
Marvin Chege 
Labour Cabinet Secretary (CS) Florence Bore on Wednesday, January 31 differed from her counterpart in the Interior Ministry Kithure Kindiki regarding plans to increase security guards' monthly salary to Ksh30,000.
CS Bore referred to reports indicating that the Government had set their minimum gross pay at Ksh30,000 per month, which included a basic pay of Ksh18,993, house allowance of Ksh2,850 and overtime allowance of Ksh8,157.
It was further reported that any employer who fails to adhere to the aforementioned directive would be fined Ksh2 million or be imprisoned or subjected to both.
CS Bore however remarked that she was not aware of the plan to increase the salaries of private security guards, thus the guards would continue receiving their old remunerations.
A photo of private security guards during a past training session. /FILE
"The reported pay raise is stated to have been published by the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PRSA). As a Ministry, we cannot authenticate the stated publications and this is best responded to by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration or the Authority who are referred to in the publications," she stated in part.
The Labour CS further noted that she could not approve the salary changes as there was an active case in court regarding private security monthly remuneration, in which PRSA was among the mentioned respondents in the case and her docket enjoined in the suit as an interested party.
"As the matter is sub judice, I will not discuss the merits or demerits of the issues raised therein. We are confident the Court will render a just and fair verdict, in accordance with our Constitution and the law," she added.
CS Bore thus urged both employers and workers to remain calm and patient, pending the hearing and determination of the case.
On why Kindiki had no reason to dictate the salary terms, she clarified that Section 46 of the Labour Institutions Act, 2007 (No.12 of 2007) empowers the Cabinet Secretary for Labour, to publish a Wages Order; after considering the report of the Wages Council and any advice from the National Labour Board.
Going forward, security guards will be paid as per the Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2022. This means that security guards working in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru cities are entitled to a minimum wage of Ksh16,959.
Security guards working in all former Municipalities and Town Councils of Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru will continue receiving a minimum wage of Ksh15,722.
Private security guards working in other parts of the country except the aforementioned receive a minimum wage of Ksh9,672.
PSRA Chief Executive Faizul Mahamed announced that security guards in Nairobi should earn Ksh30,000 and Ksh27,183 for the rest of the country.
"All private security companies must sign and submit to [email protected] a copy of the hereto attached legal commitment to pay government-set minimum wage for private security officers," read the letter in part.
"Take notice: Any private security company that fails to submit a duly signed and commissioned copy of the legal commitment within the next seven days from the date of this directive shall be subjected to a statutory review of its registration and licensing status."
