NAIROBI, Kenya-President William Ruto has directed government agencies to enforce compliance with Kenya’s minimum wage laws in the private security sector, warning that employers paying security officers below the legal threshold will face action.
Speaking during a meeting with thousands of private security officers at State House on Thursday, the President said some private security firms had failed to implement the minimum wage increase announced during this year’s Labour Day celebrations, while others continued to pay workers less than Sh10,000 per month.
He described the practice as inhumane and insisted that compliance with Kenya’s labour laws was mandatory.
“On May 1, I directed that the minimum wage should be raised by 15 per cent. But I have been told that there are many companies that have not implemented the directive. Others are not paying the minimum wage; they are paying below Sh10,000,” Ruto said.
“The law of the country says that it is inhumane for anyone to be paid below the minimum wage.“
The President directed the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA), the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour to work together to ensure all private security companies comply with the law.
“We must work collaboratively to ensure that every security company operates within the parameters of the law. The law of Kenya states that there is a minimum wage that an employee should be paid. That is not negotiable,” he said.
Ruto also instructed employers to remit statutory deductions, including contributions to the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), saying the payments are essential to enabling private security officers to access healthcare and retire with dignity.
“You should pay for them the Social Health Authority and NSSF so they get their benefits to retire with dignity,” he said.
The President directed all relevant government agencies to immediately enforce compliance across the sector.
“I direct all the government agencies to ensure private security officers are paid nothing less than the minimum wage,” he said.
The remarks were made during an engagement with private security officers at State House, part of the government’s ongoing consultations with different professional groups and stakeholders.
During the 2026 Labour Day celebrations in Vihiga County, Ruto announced a 12 per cent increase in the general minimum wage and a 15 per cent increase for agricultural workers, saying the move followed consultations with the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU).
He also announced progress in ratifying International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers and ILO Convention No. 190 on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, noting that the National Labour Board had completed the ratification process and that the Ministry of Labour was preparing the instruments for Cabinet approval.
Under the revised wage structure, workers in major urban centres including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret—including general labourers, cleaners, gardeners, domestic workers, messengers and private security personnel—were expected to see their monthly minimum wage rise from Sh16,113.75 to Sh18,047.40.
However, implementation of the wage increment has faced delays and disputes, prompting renewed calls for stricter enforcement by the government.
