BUJUMBURA March 28th (ABP) – The Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security organized Thursday, March 24, 2022 in Bujumbura, a workshop for officials of private security and surveillance companies in Burundi, to analyze the current state of these societies.
The director in charge of monitoring, control and regulation of the activities of private security and surveillance companies in Burundi, the police colonel ,Tharcisse Ndayiragije, indicated that based on the monthly reports that these companies regularly transmit, the observation is that there are those who work in accordance with the law and the decree governing and regulating private security and surveillance companies in Burundi while others prove difficulties which lead them not to honor their duties and commitments towards their employees.
Concretely, the key message that was delivered to these managers of security companies was, according to Ndayiragije, to comply with the policy and the will of the government, being that the various meetings frequently organized by the high authorities convey the wish that each employee whether he is in the public or private sector can, once he reaches retirement age, be treated in a better way.
According to him, in Burundi there are 38 security companies which are approved and which are classified in four categories. The 1st category is in the green zone and represents companies that work in accordance with the law and regulations. The 2nd category is in the yellow zone and includes companies that demonstrate a desire to be able to reach the level required for compliance with the regulations. The 3rd category classified in the orange zone includes companies that are still looking for themselves and the last category is placed in the red zone representing companies that tend to ignore the relevant regulations.
In view of all those observations, Mr. Ndayiragije said that recommendations have been issued to those responsible for security companies. They must have head offices, contribute for all of their agents, have all of their agents treated. They must also be in possession of the records of the workers, pay the wages of their employees on time while considering overtime.
He indicated that the fate reserved for those in charge who could be reluctant vis-à-vis these recommendations is that which is recommended by law. “Those who do not comply with the law and regulations will be hit by the articles regulating private guarding and surveillance companies and some will be hit by deregistration or suspension of their activities,” he said.