Security Guards in Kenya: 9 Things They Can’t Legally Do

Updated 2 November 2026

Security guards in Kenya get their powers from the Private Security Regulation Act, 2016, and those powers are narrow: a guard may search you on entry or exit, ask for ID and hold it temporarily, and make a citizen’s arrest on the premises, but may not use firearms, may not keep your ID or use it for any other purpose, may not dress like the police, and has no police powers at all. A guard or firm that abuses these powers commits an offence and can lose its licence.

Here are nine things the law says private security guards and firms cannot do, with section numbers so you can check them. Updated November 2026. Source: Private Security Regulation Act, 2016 (Kenya Law).

What powers do security guards in Kenya have?

9 things security guards in Kenya can’t legally do

1. Carry or use firearms on duty. Section 53(1): “A private security service provider shall not use or allow the use of firearms in the rendering of a security service.” Breaking this is an offence and leads to cancellation of the licence.
2. Act as police officers. Section 50 says nothing in the Act gives a guard “the powers of a police officer or member of a disciplined service”. A guard’s arrest is a citizen’s arrest.
3. Hold a suspect instead of handing them over. Section 46(1) requires the guard to “immediately hand over the person to the nearest police station or post”, and section 46(3) makes it an offence to violate a person’s rights during an arrest.
4. Search you in a way that violates your rights. Section 47(2) and (4): the warrantless search at the gate must not infringe any constitutional right; doing so is an offence and the firm can lose its licence.
5. Keep your ID card. Under section 48(2), an ID surrendered at the gate must be given back at the point of exit and kept in safe custody until then.
6. Use your ID or visitor-book details for anything else. Section 48(2)(b) and (3) limit both the ID and any information recorded to identification only. Misuse is an offence under section 48(5). If your details are later used for marketing or other purposes, you can also complain to the Data Commissioner; our ODPC complaint guide shows how.
7. Wear police-style uniforms or branding. Section 51(1) bans uniforms, vehicle colours, names, logos and emblems similar to those of the disciplined forces or national security organs.
8. Use jamming or interception equipment. Section 51(1)(c) and (e) ban systems that interfere with the security forces’ communications or intercept another person’s communications.
9. Leak information about the premises they guard. Section 69(2)(c) makes it an offence for a guard to reveal information gained on the job that could compromise the security of a client’s premises, with a fine of up to KSh 500,000, two years in prison, or both.

Section 52 adds that guard dogs and other animals must be handled in a way that is not cruel, under the animal welfare laws.

Rules for security companies and their clients

The Act also binds the firms and the people who hire them. Under section 69(1), it is an offence to run a private security firm without a licence, to employ an unregistered guard, or to knowingly hire an unlicensed firm or unregistered guard. Penalties go up to KSh 500,000 for an individual (or a fine and prison) and KSh 2 million for a firm. Section 68 makes the code of conduct in the Act’s Second Schedule binding, including rules to ensure payment of minimum wages; see the current minimum wage rates in Kenya. Guards must tell the Private Security Regulatory Authority in writing when their employment ends or changes (section 36).

If you are hiring a firm, ask for its licence and check it with the Authority, much as you would check whether a recruitment agency is licensed before paying it.

What to do if a guard abuses their powers

• Note the guard’s name or number, the firm, the time and the premises.
• Report a criminal act, such as assault or unlawful detention, at the nearest police station.
• Complain in writing to the firm and to the Private Security Regulatory Authority, which licenses firms and can inquire into their conduct under Part IX of the Act.
• Ask the building owner or manager, who hired the firm, to act.

Frequently asked questions

Can a security guard search me in Kenya?

Yes. Section 47 lets a guard search a person entering or leaving a building or property without a warrant, but the search must be responsible and must not infringe your constitutional rights.

Can a security guard keep my ID?

No. Section 48 lets a guard hold your ID temporarily, but it must be kept safely, returned at the exit and used only for identification.

Can private security guards in Kenya carry guns?

No. Section 53 bars private security providers from using or allowing the use of firearms in providing a security service.

Can a security guard arrest me?

Only as a citizen’s arrest for an offence committed on the premises, and the guard must immediately hand you over to the nearest police station or post (section 46).

Source: Private Security Regulation Act, 2016 (No. 13 of 2016), sections 36 and 45 to 69, read 2 November 2026. General information, not legal advice.