Ensure arming security guards does not trigger more problems

Private Security Regulatory Authority Chief Executive Officer Fazul Mohammed inspects a parade formed by private security guards at their training academy in Nairobi, in January this year. [File, Standard]

It is now official, security guards will soon start bearing guns and doing jobs that have hitherto been done by police officers. According to regulations gazetted last Friday by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, the guards will, among others, be deployed to quell riots and to beef up security during elections.

They will also be allowed to ride in armoured and rapid response vehicles and to use sirens and warning lights on highways just like police officers. In addition, they will be expected to arrest crime suspects.