Fazul Seeks To Disrupt Private Security Industry With A Guard Hailing App

You could soon be able to get a private security guard, bouncer or events security stewards at your fingertips.

That is if a plan by immediate former Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) Director General Fazul Mahammed goes through.

Fazul  has created a digital application- a guard hailing app- once launched and mobilized will enable Kenyans directly hire private security guards as they wish.

Apart from the security guards, those in need of bouncers, event security stewards, or guides, will be able get them directly on the app hassle-free.

To some, this may render some of the more than 700 private security companies jobless.

But Fazul contends this will enable the guards gain more in terms of pay.

“Forget everything you thought you knew about the private security industry. It is broken! A relic of a system that exploits security guards, overworking and underpaying them, while a handful of owners of security firms fill their bank accounts,” he said.

Fazul emphasized that the guards have been trained by licensed training institutions and registered by the PSRA.

Those qualified are retained in a register and issued with a Guard Force Number, which is a unique identifier and proof that a guard has undergone security training and is registered by PSRA.

There are 40 training institutions across the country, which have been accredited by the PSRA to train the private security guards and bouncers.

“Some guards can form a unique group for instance guides to various parks who can be hired by tourists.”

“PSRA has a complaint handling and dispute resolution mechanism to deal with complaints against the registered guards,” he said.

The move is likely to face resistance from the private security firms who see it as a way of driving them out of business.

“We are launching the most disruptive transformation in private security since its inception. A revolutionary technology platform that cuts out the middlemen, connecting clients directly with security guards.”

He added that the same way Uber revolutionized the taxi industry by connecting drivers directly with passengers, this platform removes the necessity of security firms acting as intermediaries.

“Similarly, Airbnb disrupted the hotel industry by allowing homeowners to offer accommodation directly to travellers, and Netflix and YouTube shifted control of content from studios to content creators.”

According to Fazul, the platform follows the same model, cutting out security firms that have long controlled security guard employment and remuneration, to the detriment of guards and clients alike.

He said the platform has already on boarded 800,000 security guards with a goal of surpassing 1.3 million and it is on course to become the single largest employer outside the government.

“By leveraging technology, this platform eliminates the traditional inefficiencies associated with security companies, such as bureaucracy, excessive administrative costs, and profit-driven wage suppression.”

“Clients will now pay directly for security services without intermediaries, resulting in cost savings while ensuring that security guards receive fair wages, particularly in the wake of the landmark High Court judgment upholding the minimum wage of Sh30,000 for security guards,” he added.

With the new platform, customers will pay between Sh800 and Sh900 for security services per day, down from the current rate of around Sh1,500.

He reckons this app, which rides on the sharing economy, or gig economy, like Uber or Airbnb, will be highly disruptive like Safaricom’s decision to charge customers only when they make a call, that is billing per second as opposed to per minute. Similarly, customers will pay for security guards on a need basis.

In addition to the current pool of qualified private security guards, totaling around 1,300,000, Fazul intends to also recruit from the pool of thousands of young people who graduate from the National Youth Service (NYS) with some security training.

Why This Changes Everything

He argued security companies currently inflate costs through administrative overheads that are not core to actual security services.

“By removing these middlemen, clients will save huge amounts because they are no longer paying for unnecessary bureaucracy. They pay for security, nothing else.”

“Clients can select security personnel based on their specific needs,” he said.

“You want a security guard for one night? A close protection officer for a week? A full-time

security team? Now you decide at the tap of a button, with zero friction. You are no longer restricted to a one-size-fits-all service package from a security company.”

Fazul states that unlike the traditional system where security guards are assigned postings without choice, the platform grants them the ability to choose their own assignments, work hours, and days off.

This shift grants guards autonomy over their employment, enhancing job satisfaction and productivity.

He added through the platform, clients can scale security up or down instantly on a need basis.

“No more long-term contracts that don’t make sense. For example, in a residential neighborhood, security needs may vary depending on the day of the week, on Sundays, when most residents are at home, fewer security guards may be required, whereas on Mondays, when the majority are at work, an increased security presence may be necessary to deter potential threats.”

He added the system will enable an on demand emergence response.

Currently, if an incident occurs at a property or business guarded by a security company, response time depends on the company’s resources.

“For example, if a property in Karen is guarded by G4S, an emergency would require waiting for a G4S emergency patrol car, which could take over an hour. With this platform, emergency response vehicles are deployed based on proximity rather than company affiliation, drastically improving response time and safety.”

He argued one of the most prevalent issues

in the private security industry is tax evasion.

“Reports indicate that private security firms evade more than Sh14 billion in taxes annually. Security companies often underreport revenues and exploit loopholes to avoid taxation.”

“By digitizing payments and ensuring all transactions occur transparently through the platform, Government wins. The Clients win. Security guards win,” he said.

He argued the platform is an economic revolution that empowers security guards, enhances security, and disrupts an outdated business model.

“As history has shown, industries that fail to evolve with technology face obsolescence. The security sector is no exception. The platform has the potential to facilitate transactions exceeding one billion dollars in revenue for security guards.”

The move comes in the wake of a ruling by the High Court in a case filed by some employers opposed to legal notice setting the minimum wage for guards in Kenya at Sh30,000.

Fazul had, in a legal notice in November 2023, directed all private security firms to pay their security guards a minimum wage of Sh30,000 before statutory deductions.

PSRA directed employers to comply with the directives warning that any employer who remunerates guards below the mandated basic minimum shall be liable to a fine of Sh2 million, according to the law.

PSRA had in November 2024 set the basic minimum pay.

According to the PSRA, the minimum pay should be Sh18,994 with a house allowance of Sh2,849.11 and overtime allowance of Sh8,156.81 totaling to Sh30,000.

The statutory deductions will be National Social Security Fund (NSSF) of Sh1080, Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) of Sh825, Pay As You Earn Sh1229.75, and affordable house levy Sh450.