Regulator shuts 27 illegal security firms in nationwide crackdown

PSRA CEO Philip Okello before the Senate National Security Committee, chaired by Fatuma Dulo at Bunge Towers, Nairobi. March 26, 2026. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has carried out a nationwide crackdown on illegal security companies, shutting down 27 unlicensed firms as concerns grow over the rapid spread of rogue operators.

PSRA Chief Executive Philip Okello, who appeared before the Senate National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, warned that unregulated firms are increasingly infiltrating the sector, undermining professionalism and posing potential security risks.

Okello told the committee, chaired by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, that foreign companies with local shareholding and those entirely owned by Kenyans are the ones eligible for licensing by the authority, which is mandated to regulate and license private security firms and personnel.

Ethical standards

“We have many security firms that are operating illegally. We have launched a crackdown and closed 27 so far in efforts to ensure adherence to professional and ethical standards, which are very important in this crucial sector,” he said.

He said Kenya has over 100,000 registered private security officers, all of whom are vetted, trained, and issued with identification numbers before deployment in efforts to ensure that professionalism is maintained.

However, even as the crackdown continues, Okello raised concerns over non-payment of security services by county governments, accusing the devolved units of failing to honour contractual obligations to private firms.

“We have a serious problem with the county's administration, which is not paying for the services offered by the private security companies. This has made them to struggle to make ends meet. We are calling on the Senate to help us in this regard,” said Okello.

The CEO contrasted this with the national government, which he said has improved its payment record, reducing delays by 67 per cent.

Okello also urged Parliament to fast-track the approval and operationalisation of regulations under the Private Security Regulation Act, saying the delay has crippled the authority’s ability to generate its own revenue.

“It should be noted that the Act that created PSRA was ratified in 2016, but the authority was operationalised in 2020. Since then, the regulations have never been approved. Therefore, I cannot collect levies from Kenyans,” he said.

He said that currently, the authority relies entirely on funding from the National Treasury and that once regulations are in place, PSRA has the potential to generate between Sh800 million and Sh1.2 billion annually through levies.

Dullo promised that the committee would ensure that the regulations are passed to give the authority the power to carry out its core mandate, saying that the country recognises the crucial services that the private security officers offer to Kenyans.

Okello revisited the contentious debate on whether private security officers should be armed, citing regional practices citing Uganda, where private guards are armed and Tanzania, where armed personnel are commonly deployed in malls and supermarkets.

“The Private Security Regulatory Authority also ensures compliance with labour laws, enforces a code of conduct, vets security officers, and facilitates collaboration with state security agencies,” said Okello.

The CEO said that PSRA's core mandate includes regulating, supervising, and controlling the private security industry through registration of service providers, licensing of personnel, and enforcement of mandatory training standards.

Okello said that the ongoing crackdown and funding challenges highlight the broader struggle to streamline the fast-growing private security sector, which plays a critical role in supplementing national security efforts.