In a gazette notice issued on Friday, Interior CS, Fred Matiang’i, gave more powers to private security guards.
The notice now allows private guards to carry guns and even arrest criminals.
The notice will also see guards take upon formal police jobs such as quelling riots and getting involved in security work during elections.
The guards will further be given the authority to ride in armored and rapid response vehicles as reported The Standard.
They will also be allowed to blare sirens and flash warning lights on highways, a hitherto preserve of police and emergency service providers.
The gazette notice states that the guards will enjoy these privileges under the guidance of the Inspector General of Police, Hillary Mutyambai.
These rules, which are in line with the Private Security Regulation Act 2016, have also created the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) headed by Fazul Mohamed.
The Fazul-led authority will be in-charge to ensure that the guards comply with the new rules.
To begin with, all private security firms that employ the guards must be freshly registered with PSRA within the first six months.
PSRA will ensure that the guards undergo fresh training and wear uniforms that not in any way resemble state security personnel.
The move to allow the guards to operate rapid response vehicles specifically is in line with the government’s intention to remove police officers in Cash In Transit (CIT) work.
“Be ready to arm your guards because we will withdraw officers from some of these jobs like CIT.
“You will be in charge of the guns issued to you and any case of misuse will be punished,” Matiang’i had earlier explained in April.
The rules stipulate that a guard may arrest a person, who is suspected to have committed an offense, and hand over that person to the nearest police station or post.
