Lack of a law to regulate private security companies is a major loophole leading to crime and varying levels of abuse, including by employers, MPs were told. Tabling the Bill governing private security firms on Monday, the Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, told Parliament that the present gap leaves room for unprofessional conduct whereby private security guards steal from clients and get away with it. “The lack of a law is currently the main problem because if it is in place, everyone will know their role and responsibilities,” Harerimana said, adding that private security companies are now regulated by the legislation on business. He said in case of theft in a neighbourhood, security guards nearby keep a blind eye and later claim that minding other people’s properties is not in their contractual obligations. “But we all know the element of non-intervention. This should be clear, somewhere, such that it is this person who should have the first responsibility for a neighbour’s property even though the latter does not pay them,” he said. “There is also a loophole of information. These people are in charge of security. There are circumstances they go through which could help the national police to enhance security but they withhold information. This Bill provides for necessary coordination.” Another issue is that security guards are poorly managed and remunerated, which affects their performance. There is need, Harelimana said, for security companies to respect to the labour law. MPs approved the relevance of the Bill but noted that private security companies must be compelled to: mind the welfare of their employees; and be thoroughly scrutinised before they are awarded license to operate for the sake of people’s general security. ‘A good Bill’ MP Athanasie Nyiragwaneza said: “It is clear that the law is long overdue. I want to emphasise a serious concern–that of the people employed in these security companies. The manner in which they are managed is deplorable, huge wage discrepancies are simply unjustifiable. Some are insured, others are not. These are serious issues that must be addressed.” The present community policing policy permits private operators to play a role in security management for people and property through creating commercial companies. The companies are governed by instructions issued by the Minister of Internal Security because there is no law governing them. The new Bill is meant to remove this gap and improve on the functioning of the companies and their collaboration with security organs. Presently, the Rwanda National Police, with the help of other security organs, vets private security companies before they acquire operational licenses from the Rwanda Development Board. The minister said there are currently 10 private security companies operating in Rwanda after two were suspended due to bad services.
