English
Kinyarwanda
By IP Francois MUGIRANEZA
At first glance, the men and women standing at the gates of Kigali’s banks, supermarkets, and construction sites may look like ordinary guards. But behind their company-tagged uniforms and watchful eyes lies a quiet transformation that often goes unnoticed by the public.
That transformation has been steered by a powerful arm of the Rwanda National Police (RNP), the Infrastructure Security and Private Security Service Providers (ISPSP) Department. Tasked with bringing order and professionalism to the private security industry, the ISPSP is reshaping these guards into a credible, disciplined front line in the country’s broader crime prevention strategy.
In a country where rapid development continues, private security companies have become more than just providers of basic guarding services, they are now indispensable. The police may be the primary custodians of public safety, but they can’t be everywhere, every time, and that’s where the ISPSP comes in.
From chaos to coordination
Established back in 2014, the department was born from a simple but urgent realization: Rwanda needed to clean up and professionalize its growing private security industry, or risk having it undermine public safety altogether.
According to CP John Bosco Kabera, the commissioner in charge of ISPSP, the sector has come a long way. “There were companies operating without licenses, guards with no training, even cases of abuse and negligence, and that wasn’t acceptable, for a country that takes its security seriously.”
“Today, things are different. From its base at the RNP General Headquarters in Kacyiru, the ISPSP now oversees a vast network of private security actors across the country. Its officers are deployed at regional and district levels, conducting inspections, verifying licenses, monitoring training compliance, and investigating misconduct,” he said.
There are 15 licensed companies and over 75 cooperatives currently active in the sector, ensuring that every security operation meets legal and ethical standards.
At the heart of the department’s work, there is a strong focus on professional standards, starting with training. According to the Law No. 16bis/2020, any individual seeking to work as a private security guard must first complete at least three months of initial training at a centre approved by the Police. This training goes beyond basic physical readiness, it includes modules on Rwandan law, the rights of citizens, customer service, surveillance techniques, and the use of communication equipment.
Every guard you see at a commercial building or public facility must have passed through a standard, police-vetted programme. The ISPSP department does not just hand out licenses, they have been building capacity.
A partnership that works
Private companies say this support is not just formal, it’s practical and constant. Mathias Mbabazi, Director of Top Security Company, says the ISPSP Department is key to their operations.
“You cannot provide security without working with the relevant institution. RNP is our main supervisor, they help us fulfill our responsibilities, give us guidance and support, and make sure we comply with the law. They even help us choose and train guards who are healthy and ready to work well.”
He noted that thanks to improved training standards, “you can already see the difference in performance.”
At Guardsmark Security Company, the experience is the same. Vasco Butera, who oversees training, said, “The police assist us in screening recruits, guiding training, and even checking on the wellbeing of our guards. Their teams monitor us day and night, from uniform standards to how our guards behave. Whenever we face challenges, we know we’re not alone. The relationship is strong.”
Beyond training, strengthening the system
The department doesn’t stop at training new recruits. It also conducts periodic refresher courses, encourages audits within companies, and provides advisory support to infrastructure owners, especially those managing high-value or strategic installations. From the interior of stadiums to the gates of industrial parks, ISPSP officers make sure security is more than just a visible presence, it’s an effective deterrent.
But the journey has not been without setbacks. CP Kabera is candid about the challenges the department has faced. “We still encounter guards who sleep on duty, show up drunk, use phones while working, or fail to conduct basic searches. Some companies bypass training requirements or deploy unlicensed guards altogether,” he says. “But that’s exactly why this department exists, to detect, correct, and if necessary, punish.”
Indeed, enforcement is a critical part of the ISPSP’s mandate. Companies found violating the law risk suspension, withdrawal of licenses, or even prosecution. The department frequently reminds providers of offences outlined in the law governing private security services, such as giving false information when applying for certification or operating without approval from the RNP. These are not minor infractions; they are treated as serious threats to national safety.
Yet the department also operates on the belief that regulation must go hand in hand with mentorship. It actively works with security companies to help them improve, offering guidance on staffing, operations, and use of modern security technologies.
That approach is already yielding results. Many private firms now boast better-trained personnel, stricter internal oversight, and improved relationships with the communities they serve. More importantly, citizens themselves are beginning to trust private guards, not just as watchmen, but as legitimate actors in Rwanda’s broader security framework.
Securing the future
As Rwanda continues to grow, building more roads, schools, industrial parks, and public institutions, the role of private security is only expected to expand. The ISPSP Department is preparing for that future by creating a structured, accountable, and professional industry that can keep pace with the country's ambitions.
So next time you walk past a uniformed guard at a shopping mall or government office, remember this, they’re not standing there by accident. Behind them is a rigorous process of training, regulation, and oversight. And behind that, a quiet but resolute department of the Rwanda National Police working to ensure that security in Rwanda isn’t just a promise, it’s a practiced standard.
