PSRA orders private security firms to stop remitting trade union fees to COTU
The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has directed all private security firms to immediately stop the deductions and remittances of security guards’ monthly trade union fees contributions to the Central Organisation of Trade Union (COTU).
PSRA Director General Fazul Mohamed says that the trade union has not lived up to its mandate to protect its members and has persistently disregarded, declined and neglected to advocate for their rights.
"For years, private security companies have consistently deducted trade union fees from private security guards and subsequently remitted the said contributions to the Central Organization of Trade Unions, COTU - Kenya. As outlined in COTU's constitutive document, part of the organization's core mandate is to represent the voices of workers and actively fight for their social and economic welfare," Mohamed stated.
"Notably, private security officers constitute a large percentage of COTU's membership and despite their low salaries have faithfully contributed trade union fees to COTU for decades. Regrettably, notwithstanding their significant financial contributions, COTU has not lived up to its mandate and has persistently disregarded, declined, and/or neglected to advocate for their rights, advocate for compliance with minimum wage and promote their general welfare."
Complaints against COTU
Mohamed says the action was taken after security guards complained about fund utilisation and their welfare not being addressed by the trade union. He says the authority is actively investigating how the trade union has been handling security guards’ contributions, estimated to be in billions.
"In view of the foregoing provision of the law and the numerous complaints from private security officers, the authority, with the aim of protecting the welfare and rights of over 1.3 million private security guards, has instituted an investigation on the collection and use of all finances that have been deducted and remitted to COTU by private security companies," Mohamed added.
"Preliminary investigation by the authority has confirmed that indeed private security officers have made significant contributions to COTU in form of monthly trade union fees - preliminary estimation puts this figure in billions of shillings." 
Mohamed says any private security company that continues to deduct and remit the said fees to COTU will be subjected to a statutory review of its registration and licensing status.
"Therefore, pending the conclusion of the investigation, all private security companies are hereby directed to effective immediately stop deducting and remitting private security officers' trade union fees to the Central Organization of Trade Unions. This directive shall remain in force until such a time the authority expressly directs otherwise," he added.
"Any private security company that continues to deduct and remit the said fees to the Central Organization of Trade Unions shall be subjected to a statutory review of its registration and licensing status in accordance with Section 32 of the Act."
