LIVE: President Ruto hosts Nairobi Security Guards at State House, Nairobi.

Discipline and professionalism of women serving on the frontline. Challenges we face include insecurity, limited opportunities, sexual harassment, discrimination, inadequate deployment, inadequate sanitation facilities, unsuitable uniforms and protective equipment, limited maternity support, and restricted access to specialized assessment and promotion. At this juncture, I want to take this opportunity to ask for proposals. Women should have representation that is meaningful, should have the opportunity to influence policy, and contribute directly to the professionalism of the sector. Excellence: many female officers remain silent when they experience harassment, discrimination, or exploitation because they fear dismissal, unfair transfer, loss of deployment, or victimization. Training is equally central to professionalism. Female officers should have equal access to training in investigation, technology, risk management, command center operations, finance services, close protection, and other emerging areas of security. Officers who report misconduct must be protected from retaliation. Security companies should also be required to establish clear internal reporting procedures and demonstrate how complaints involving harassment, discrimination, and workplace abuse have been addressed. Training is equally central to professionalism. Mr. President, Your Excellency, regulation becomes meaningful when its impact is felt by the officer standing at the gate, patrolling at night, managing a control room, or responding to an emergency. Licensing and compliance inspection should therefore access not only company documentation but also whether officers work under lawful, safe, and dignified conditions. We appreciate that the draft Private Security Regulations 2025, in whose review process we participated, should promote maternity protection, non-discrimination, appropriate uniforms and protective equipment, suitable sanitation and welfare facilities, and effective protection from harassment and abuse. It should produce competent, respected, fairly treated, and properly protected security professionals. Your Excellency, today we request on behalf of WISE and women serving across Kenya's safety and security sector. We respectfully request the government's support in strengthening female representation within the PSRA board, its committees, and regulatory consultations; establishing confidential and gender-responsive mechanisms for handling complaints involving harassment, discrimination, and exploitation; ensuring that mandatory training provides female officers with specialized skills and genuine pathways to leadership; requiring gender representation in recruitment, deployment, training, promotion, and retention; strengthening enforcement of professional standards and dignified working conditions; recognizing WISE as a key stakeholder and allowing the association to inform policy, regulations, and programs affecting women in private security. Your Excellency, in conclusion, my professional journey reflects what female private security officers can achieve when their competence is recognized and their potential supported. There are thousands of women like me across this country—women with courage, intelligence, integrity, discipline, and leadership potential. They are not only asking to be seen; they are asking to be heard, trained, protected, represented, and given the opportunity to rise. We do not only secure gates; we protect families, businesses, institutions, investments, communities, and our nation. When the women entrusted with protecting Kenya are themselves safe, respected, and empowered, our country becomes stronger and more secure. WISE stands ready to work with government, PSRA, employers, and other stakeholders to ensure that the experiences and perspectives of women are reflected in the policies shaping Kenya's private security sector. Your Excellency, thank you for granting the security sector this important audience and for recognizing the contribution of the men and women who serve within it. May God bless you, may God bless Kenya, and may God bless all security officers. Thank you.

Thank you. Applause for Elizabeth. So Elizabeth, on behalf of the women in the security sector, they have an association called WISE. I want to call Daniel Amodoi. Come quickly. Let's welcome him with applause and cheers.

Your Excellency, Dr. William Ruto, our CSS president, our governor, our beloved governor Mr. Sakaja, and on behalf of all private security, good morning everybody. My name is Daniel Amodoi. I work with Riley Falcon as one of the supervisors. Today I am privileged to speak before the whole congregation of private security companies. We are very happy because last time some of our colleagues were asking, 'Asante sana.' Recently, some of our colleagues were wondering, 'As private security, when will the President invite us to State House?' We have seen many visit you, Mr. President, and today we are very happy because even we have been invited as your children, and you as the father of the nation, we thank you very much. On behalf of my colleagues and the rest, in the past, this private security job was considered a lowly job. But today, looking at the crowd here, it is clear that this job is now taken seriously like any other. Your Excellency, I am also happy to inform you that today, if you look at our job, most of us are able to take our children to school because of the good support from our top management. Our salaries have also improved a bit. Thank you, sir. I am also happy to inform you that we are working very closely with the police force; in case of anything, we work closely with them. Mr. President, I don't want to take too long because I know there are many who also want to speak. But I congratulate you; we say we are behind you as private security companies. Thank you very much, and may God bless you.

Thank you. Now I want to call Mr. Martin Oundo to close the session for private security officers.

Thank you, Mr. President, and private security officers who are represented here. How are you? How are you? We thank you for today being welcomed to State House by the President. As we are here, we have concerns that have brought us here. Mr. President, the first issue is the salary we receive. Mr. President, if that issue were addressed, we could be more grateful. We ask that you address it because you are a man who speaks and acts. We have faith that as we leave here today, we will leave with joy because you will have spoken and it will be done. Another issue, Mr. President, I ask today that the team here—we are always called 'watchmen,' but when you look, I request that that name be changed. We should be called security officers. Because when it is changed, even where we work, we will have dignity. Mr. President, also the environment in which we work—we are looked down upon. If it were good, those who have hired these brothers and sisters here would respect us, and the working environment would be looked into. We ask, Mr. President, that you help us there. But most importantly, Mr. President, the salary. For these teams, Mr. President, when you look, there are people still earning 9,000 or 10,000 shillings, and these are parents with children in secondary, primary, and even university. You see that salary cannot sustain their lives. So, Mr. President, I request with respect, when you look here, all these people are behind you. They are behind you. And we are sure that you will act. And for today, let us be happy as security officers. Thank you, and have a good day.

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Now I want to call the chairman of the Kenya Security Industry Association, Dr. Francis Shiyuka. Come closer. Where are the applause for Dr. Francis? Let him speak briefly.

Mr. President, all protocols observed. I stand here on behalf of the Kenya Security Industry Association. I would like to say that we ask you, as President, to have an alternative dispute resolution mechanism that will address the many cases in court concerning workers and employers. If we do that, workers will feel protected, and employers will see that justice is served. Secondly, there is something called PPRA regarding tenders. PPRA says that the lowest bidder is chosen. But we say that the lowest bidder should be the lowest priced but compliant. In other words, they pay salaries, pay taxes, and do all that is required, so they should win the tender. But currently, it doesn't work that way. So, Mr. President, we ask you to look into that. And Mr. President, these guards here have great concern. We ask for an extension of security work, even to protect forests. These people complement national security; they are very important. They must be respected because before things reach the police, they have already reached these guards; they are the first to get information. So these are people who need to be taken care of. And Mr. President, also housing. Many of our guards do not have houses; many of us do not have houses. We ask for an opportunity to pay or to get houses, so that we are seen as part of national security, for we pay taxes. I think I don't want to take too long, but my main request is on the PPRA matter. Mr. President, please look into it so that the lowest bidder is compliant. With those few words, I conclude.

Thank you, Doctor. Now I want to call Mr. Isaac Andabwa, who is the Secretary General of the security officers. You heard Martin say we should drop the 'watchman' term, right? Welcome, Mr. Isaac.

Mr. President of the Republic of Kenya, Honorable Musalia Mudavadi, Chief Cabinet Secretary, all honorable members present, including MPs and MCAs, and all gathered here for my employers. Bwana Yesu apewe sifa. Raise your hand; Bwana Yesu apewe sifa. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Mr. President, I am the voice of guards in Kenya. I also sit on the board of Dr. Francis Shiyuka, and I represent Africa as an executive committee member on matters of guards and domestic workers. At the ILO, I am also a steering committee member on guard issues worldwide. The things I would like to say—my two employer colleagues have already spoken. I also want to thank the employers here who have supported the Kenya National Private Security Workers Union; I know some are here. I thank them very much. First, I want to thank the President for including Kenyan guards in his plans for the Republic. Let's clap a little. We have been very much looked down upon. We are treated as second-class citizens of this country. No one speaks to us with respect. They say 'these watchmen.' Mr. President, these names like 'watchman' and others have their reasons. We are not watchmen; the name 'watchman' is colonial. Kenya is free. We cannot accept the name 'watchman' 63 years after independence. These employers have failed to talk to us as guards. When they set salaries, they set guard salaries. When they set allowances, they say it's for watchmen. When they go for lunch, they finish and then call us watchmen. What have we said? I am going quickly because I want to finish. I cannot read this speech because it's all in my head. Mr. President, the first agenda for this private security sector is theft. They are stealing from the government and from guards. We cannot have only a few employers in Kenya like G4S, G4S, SGA, Securex, and a few others. Some pay minimum wage, others pay us 8,000 shillings. Mr. President, when you go to the supermarket to buy bread and flour, these workers go there after being paid 8,000 shillings; that is not enough. Mr. President, we would like to walk together with employers, sit down, and create laws that are friendly to both employers and workers. There is a law for 30,000 for PSRA. There is a minimum wage law from the Ministry of Labor. There is a law for protective security services from the Ministry of Labor, and many others, yet it's one sector. That is a recipe for confusion. We want the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Interior, employers, and workers to sit together and come up with a workable formula. Mr. President, I am finishing. Guards are at the bottom. There is no one else in this world who is at the bottom like us. Mr. President, by virtue of that terminology, which came from yourself, please, Your Excellency, have mercy on these workers. And we, as guards, do not want the president's seat, right? We don't want the governor's seat, right? We want a minimum wage. Mr. President, these guards have a hard job. They work 12-hour shifts. They cannot leave their post to go to the toilet. If they go to the toilet, they are written up for absenteeism. Where is the justice? Mr. President, guards are also Kenyans. We have been forgotten in many things. Our work as guards complements national security agencies. We complement national security agencies. It is good we work with the PS, right? There are assignments that are very sensitive. Guards are waiting for money, and the baton was colonial. They guard money in banks with batons. If money is stolen from the bank, the guard is arrested. Second last. This private security sector has lost money meant for guards. Mr. President, you are riding on empowerment. There is a gap in private security. We ask that you help guards through NYOTA; you have helped others. Please, please help guards. Lastly, there are guards who have done excellent work in discharging their duties. For example, one named Ukindo was there with me in 1998 during the bomb blast here in Kenya. He stopped a truck from entering the US embassy. Mr. President, we are part of this country, and we are also part of the government. When you give medals, remember that without guards like Ukindo, give him one. I could also be remembered. Mr. President, I finish by saying our work complements the National Security Service, right? Remember Nelson Mandela was a guard; he worked in Soweto as a guard. I have been there as a leader of Africa. Do not think this job is not a job. This job must be professional. Do you hear me well? And we do not want 'watchman' pay of 9,000 shillings; we want the pay of a private security officer. God bless you.

Thank you, Mr. Ndabwa. Now I want to call the representative of KEPSA, Madam Anette Kim Mite. KEPSA is the Kenya Private Sector Alliance. Please speak briefly.

Thank you, PS. I stand on all protocols observed. Let me start by saying thank you, President, for inviting us today because you might think employers are used to entering State House. No, it is not every day. We are not used to it. But let me recognize our officers for how smart they look; even on night shift today, you shine. Thank you, and thank you, President, for that honor you have done, because this industry is a silent giant. Everyone looks down on us, and honestly, we sometimes look down on ourselves. The role of private security, as Mr. Ndabwa said, and I remember IED him a while back to recognize some of the fallen heroes of DUIT 2, because the whole nation recognized all officers and forgot our guards. I want to honor you for having been there and second you that as our President is recognizing top performers, let us not forget that for every safe home, every home you left this morning, every office, every hospital, there is no safe investor, no safe tourist without a security officer. When the Golden Banner, the Order of the Golden Warrior, is given, let us not forget these people who do an incredible job. On behalf of employers, because I am here also to represent the voice of employers, number one is that this sector is not treated with dignity and respect, and we see that even in tenders. You get a tender of 12,000 or 11,000. That is what we do—we continue with this undercutting. We know the minimum wage is 16,000 or 17,000, and I have never understood why the rate for day guard and night guard is different. Honestly, night shift is not easier than day shift; day shift is hard. Customers, all cars, you search everything, you count—that work is hard. But I have never heard of a contract that I am called a day MD and night MD. Instead of doing that, we need to move to a place where we recognize the career path: today I enter as guard grade A, tomorrow I climb, and I can go all the way to being a director with a very clear career growth plan. That will make people stop looking down on our sector. Again, our brothers have mentioned one of the biggest problems we have with wages: this law says this, that law says that, so you are told this by one hand and another by another hand. I am not here to say that all security companies in this country are compliant with the minimum wage; we are not here to deceive each other. But today we must also agree that we can sit together and formulate a plan where we grow these wages. We also have an issue with compliance. When you leave a vacuum, even a chicken rules. So in terms of regulations and compliance, we need that. But my humble request to my PS, who has been of incredible support to KEPSA and the security sector board, is if we can have it in a graduated manner. Let's say year one we do this, and all of us do it, right? Year two we move forward, so that economically, socially, and otherwise, we can absorb the cost of compliance. If we say we do everything at once, I am not lying—90% will close shop. If we close shop, where will we eat? Isn't it better the shop continues and expands slowly? The other issue is delayed payment by clients. And I know my people on this side relate to that pain. It's like because there is A, B, C, D, there is something called S—security comes last. But even if you look at registering for something, they skip S and go to tourism. Is there agriculture without security? Is there health sector without security? Is there tourism without security? We are left out and we are the last to be paid. There are several times I have left my office and become a debt collector; I sit in the client's office and tell them I will not leave without payment. We can go six months, one year, and we are not paid. The other issue is a harmonized curriculum. If we want to grow this sector, if we want to professionalize, we must accept that we must go back to school. Right now we are fighting things that are not like before. The terrorist of 10 years ago is not the terrorist of today. True or false? And if you look at AI, people say AI is here to take our jobs. No, the people who use AI will take our jobs. I ask: does our curriculum also include such things as the emerging threats we are facing? I don't know if anyone has been a victim of SIM swap or being hit by M-PESA fraud. All these, madam, I have heard. And our officers have fallen victim to that. But what solutions are we offering as an industry? So we do need a harmonized curriculum because we have a curriculum by PSRA, another by TVET, and another by NITA. I am sure, honorable PS, this is something we can do with the blessings of the President. This is something we can sit down and fix quickly. And because we have our governor in the house, I have heard. Okay. County branding. I was so sad one day when we were taking one of our officers for a funeral, I think in Mombasa or somewhere, and his colleagues could not go because every county requires our car to have county branding—county X, county Y—to reach Mombasa. And you probably don't operate along here. It is very difficult for us when you have emergencies; you want to go rescue your officer who is in a different county, and we cannot afford cars in every county. You are blocked because you don't have that branding. And finally, I say this out of the experience of what we are doing also in Uganda. We need to sit down because the criminals are ahead of us. You find thieves are ahead of us, but thank God for our officers—you always know, but you will stay with this intelligence because, when I say we, I count myself there—we have not created a platform at county level where we can share intelligence. I request that we have a structured framework where we can sit down because those terrorists, those thieves, those con people, we all know them, but we have no space to whisper solutions. Your Excellency, all these are solutions for all these problems that have been raised. And I give you our commitment as KEPSA that we are willing, able, and happy to collaborate, to consult in building evidence-based policy. Our commitment to work with your government to improve livelihoods and protect jobs, because some policies you can pass here that raise salaries too high and throw others out. So we must have that balanced approach, and we will ensure long-term competitiveness of our sector and our nation, Kenya. Thank you.

Applause for Anette. Mr. President, allow me to call on behalf of Parliament, Honorable Gabriel Tongoyo, who is also the chairman of security in Parliament. Some of the things we discuss here, he has helped us with, and he has listened. He will tell us what he will push so that private security matters improve.

Thank you so much, PS. Your Excellency the President, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the PS, colleagues, members of Parliament, and the private security industry players, good morning. Your Excellency, I won't personally say much; much has already been said by the previous speakers. But first and foremost, I want to concur with what my good friend PS said: this is another historic day once again, Mr. President, and we want to thank you for taking time to host the private security players. The people seated before you today are very important people when it comes to the security of this country. As the Secretary General of the Union said, the people seated before us today are the first line of defense when it comes to security matters in this country, and they are part and parcel of our national police service. These are the people we meet when we enter gates, when we enter every hotel, when they do screening. And it's true, as we had yesterday with the village elders, they are equally part of the shield. This is also part of the national police service and part of the security sector of this country, and we commend them for the good job they do. And Mr. President, as already said, although these people do good work, the challenges are many, and they have been mentioned. I won't repeat. They work in an undignified way, not a very good environment, low pay. This is the moment that we should be able to have a conversation and look into such issues to ensure that our people in the private security sector work in a dignified way, are appreciated for the good job they do in terms of pay and even in matters of welfare. And Mr. President, I have spoken to some of the players here, and they have confirmed that under the current administration, working closely with the PS and the Ministry of Interior, they have a very good relationship. Previously, in the last two years, they had 14 cases in court. Through the good working relationship and consultation with their PS, they have managed to get all the cases out of court. I think one case remains, and I am sure the PS is also looking to see that that case is also resolved. But more importantly, Mr. President, the big issue here in the house is the issue of the minimum wage—the minimum 30,000 wage for these people. It has been an issue for almost two or three years. There have been regulations passed in the Ministry of Labor; they have been in our committee, in the Committee on Delegated Legislation. And I know it has been a bit controversial, back and forth, but I know this is the moment that we can implement to ensure that these people work, at least their good work is being remunerated. Well, there are matters of leave allowances; I think that's an issue we have been discussing time and again. There is the issue of overtime; I heard it has been discussed. There is even, I'm told, that the majority of these people are not even enlisted in NHIF by their employers. I think it is high time they should be enlisted in NHIF. So I don't want to say much; I want to say as Parliament, we are ready and more than willing to support whenever we are called upon to support, to ensure that what needs to be done is done, done right, and done in time. So I want to assure you, Mr. President, we are together, we are ready to help wherever we can to ensure that these gentlemen work in a suitable environment and also get the salary as required. So what we need to do as Parliament, what we need to do as a committee, we are more than willing and ready to do. Thank you very much. God bless you and protect the President.

Thank you, Chairman. Now I want to take this opportunity to invite the Governor of Nairobi County, Honorable Johnson Sakaja, and also take the opportunity to recognize the Nairobi leaders present. Thank you.