Abstract
The state has traditionally undertaken maintenance of security and good order for the citizens. But due to the deficiencies in governments, other actors have been looked upon to supplement the supply of security services. The commercial security industry, which has developed and grown expansively, is one. The sector provides policing services to their subscribed consumers. Despite the commercialised security industry growing in Nairobi, Kenya, few studies have assessed the limitations of commercialised security to impact national security on national security positively. The study took on a cross-sectional survey design. A multistage sampling technique was employed to obtain the respondents. Questionnaires, scheduled interviews and structured observation were used to collect data. These descriptive statistics were used to summarise variables into thematic areas and convey key variables' characteristics. The study identified six limitations: not being armed with firearms was the most mentioned, poor working conditions of guards was second mentioned, lack of courtesy by guards was the third most mentioned, lack of trust by the state security agencies was the fourth, and last was, lack of regulation and licensing. The study concluded that the limitations of commercialised security on national security bring the hurdles the industry faces to the fore. Consequently, the country should have favourable mechanisms to oversee the industry's continuous reevaluation. The suitable means can only be realised through the stakeholders' consultation: the commercial security industry, the citizens and the state. Thus, the study recommended that the Private Security Regulation Authority start implementing some of the requirements in the PSRA No. 13 of 2016. It meant to streamline the industry in terms of the training of the security guards, remunerations of the security guards, minimum requirements for recruitment and working environments.
Highlights
People have a natural inclination for selfprotection and self-preservation, making them enter into a contract with a higher authority to achieve it
Studies have shown that the commercial security industry faces challenges to operate in the market freely and at the same time observe standards of human rights [20]
Some studies on the routines and challenges related to the commercialised security industry found out that, to some extent, they complemented the activities of the police, but the challenges confronting them in the course of their duties drastically reduce their capacity to provide essential services to their customers effectively
Summary
People have a natural inclination for selfprotection and self-preservation, making them enter into a contract with a higher authority to achieve it. The modern norm of national security dates back as far as the seventeenth century when Hobbes introduced the social contract This was based on his theory of social contract where the citizens gave up their natural right to use force and, in return, to be protected by the state [18]. The intention of this agreement was to outlaw violence among people and contained chaotic conflict. This aspect of granting the state the monopoly to exercise violence within its borders and enforce the objectives of protecting and preserving people's lives and property is described as national security. The state is assumed to be responsible for providing security for its subjects
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