Untrained, Unarmed, Exposed and Uncelebrated: Security Guards Positioned to Get Killed to Save us in Times of Insecurity

I think of the young man sitting at our gate to ensure security, I will call him John, he does not even own a metal detector or a rungu save for his faded jungle green uniform.

John sits lost in his thoughts, unaware of the danger that looms and how helpless the situation can get for him in case of an attack. His meager salary does not incorporate the danger the job poses as private security guards in Kenya are paid as low as 5000 shillings or a high of 15000 shillings.

John, just like his fellow untrained, unarmed and exposed colleagues sit all day or night at the gates of our institutions, malls, and homes praying that it shall not be on such a day that the attackers come for theirs, would be a lost battle given that they lack any level of empowerment to defend themselves, leave alone, defend you.

Security Guards at the gates of our institutions, shopping malls, and other public places ought not to be flower girls and boys or collateral damage whenever there is a security problem.

How is it logical that a human being gets placed at a gate to ensure security? These men and women are either totally armed or in the position of a rungu.

Security companies have flooded the market which has totally poured down the meaning of security. Candidates of these jobs are mostly not past form four with some having quit school after the primary certificate.

The Private security industry in Kenya has become the place where most of those considered as academic dropouts end up in. The ‘security guards” lack insufficient training while some have no training at all, it ought to take more than an Identification card and a smart uniform to qualify one to get placed in a combative situation.

Placing untrained and unarmed men and women with metal detectors that barely work is utter hypocrisy and ignorance.  These men and women lose their lives helpless as they stand exposed at entry points to public facilities without a fighting chance.

The conversation once arose when terrorists attacked the Dusit D2 Complex in Nairobi on the need to arm the private security personnel; it was downplayed as soon as memories of the attack began to fade.

Yes, arming the security personnel would be a great way to humanize the industry as these security guards are very much human and should not be used as collateral damage. Security guards should not be exposed to die without a fighting chance, what is a rungu in this era of guns and grenades?

How a form four drop out is supposed to combat a terrorist who has spent years in the forest training beats me totally. Our government’s approach in ensuring it secures its citizens against terror attacks is pure rhetoric if all it does is set untrained and unarmed people against those that are heavily armed.

Private security services have created opportunities for many unemployed Kenyans and booming businesses for entrepreneurs in the Industry, much more needs to be done in the industry that has boomed with the emergence of terror attacks.

Private security personnel ought to be thoroughly trained and vetted, there ought to be a sense of professionalism in the industry before they can be armed to ensure the safety of their weapon, not only to the society but to themselves as well.