By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, August 6, 2026 - President William Ruto has directed the government to develop a uniform national training curriculum for private security officers, saying standardised skills and certification are key to professionalising one of Kenya's largest workforces.
Speaking after hosting more than 5,000 private security guards at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday, the President instructed training institutions, including the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), to work with the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) and relevant ministries to establish a harmonised training framework for all private security personnel.
Ruto said guards employed by different firms should receive the same standard of training to improve the quality of services, enhance professionalism and create a more respected security industry.
The proposed curriculum is expected to standardise the training of officers across the country regardless of the company employing them, while strengthening skills and improving career progression within the sector.
The President's directive formed part of a broader package of reforms targeting the welfare and regulation of more than 1.2 million private security officers across Kenya.
During the meeting, Ruto also warned security companies against underpaying workers, directing all firms to comply with the government-approved minimum wage of Sh30,000 and remit statutory deductions, including contributions to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the Social Health Authority (SHA).
"On May 1 this year, I issued a directive on minimum wage to be increased by 15 per cent, but I have been told that many companies have refused to implement it. Today I am warning them," Ruto said.
He criticised companies paying guards as little as Sh6,000 or Sh7,000 a month, describing the practice as illegal and inhumane.
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"The law of Kenya says that it is inhumane for a person to pay below the minimum wage," he said.
The President directed the Ministries of Interior and Labour, together with the PSRA, to enforce compliance across the industry.
"We must work together to ensure all security companies operate within the parameters of the law," he said.
The meeting gave private security officers a rare opportunity to present their concerns directly to the Head of State, with the government signalling wider reforms aimed at improving working conditions, strengthening regulation and raising professional standards across the industry.
The proposed harmonised training programme is expected to become one of the centrepieces of those reforms, creating a common benchmark for recruitment, certification and service delivery within Kenya's growing private security sector.