Private Security Regulatory Authority Director General Fazul Mohamed states only specific guards will be issued with guns

Fazul explains guards that will be issued with guns

Mark Mwithaga

January 25, 2019 10:21 AM

PSRA Director Fazul clarifies gun matter.

Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) Director General Fazul Mohamed during a press briefing

Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) Director General Fazul Mohamed on Thursday stated that guns would be issued to specific security guards on special assignments.

Fazul, speaking during a meeting with stakeholders, explained that a specific category of the private security officers would be given fire arms to protect Kenyans living in specified areas.

Private Sector Regulatory Authority CEO Fazul Mohammed addressing the media ece-auto-gen

“After conducting a security risk assessment, we are convinced that if the guards were armed, they could have deterred the terrorists from taking innocent lives,” remarked the PRSA boss.

A proposal was presented to Fazul to have a combined system that would have all the details of the 500,000 private security guards.

Guards to be licensed to carry guns

This move comes a week after the guards were given the go ahead to be armed with the weapons.

The authority boss had noted that the guards would be licensed to carry arms after being vetted and trained afresh.

Heavily guarded scene of the Dusit terror attack, Nairobi (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

The directive had been instigated after a demand by the public to have the guards armed following the Dusit attack on January 15.

The terror attack left a death toll of 21 people as 700 were rescued during the siege that lasted for 18 hours.

The strategy to arm the guards had been given the go ahead in 2018 by the National Security Advisory Committee and had been awaiting approval from the Private Security Regulatory Authority.

Mark Mwithaga