It is suicidal to give guns to the current crop of security guards

Kisumu Central OCS Dominic Marau (left) gives tips to Riley Falcon security guards during a joint drill between police officers, county askaris and security guards at Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu in preparation for this last year's Mashujaa Day celebrations, on 18 October 2013.Photo: JACOB OWITI/ NATION.

What you need to know:

  • Showing security guards how to shoot straight and how to clean guns could never be enough.
  • Judging from the morale of guards employed by most middle-level security firms, giving them guns will only compound a very sorry situation.
  • There must be some non-lethal weapons out there — stun guns, mace, et al — that could disable assailants at a distance.

The last thing the government should want to do is to arm security guards. And by government here I include its legislative arm, which is being pressed to endorse the Private Security Regulation Bill, a piece of legislation that was returned to Parliament ostensibly because the Cabinet was uncomfortable with some of its provisions.

The idea of allowing these brothers and sisters popularly known as “soldiers” to carry guns should send a chill down the spines of Kenyans. Why?

Among other reasons, there are already too many lethal weapons in the hands of civilians and the argument that a few thousand more will be necessary to fight the escalating crime is not only laughable, but extremely dangerous. The exact opposite is more likely to happen.

Security guards are not members of the disciplined forces. Although they are trained to guard property and to defend themselves, this is at the most basic of levels.

They are not taught to fight crime, for this would require them to undergo training at a multi-disciplinary level — detective work, human psychology, unarmed combat, the law, and the like — which is not practicable. Showing them how to shoot straight and how to clean guns could never be enough.

Also, judging from the morale of guards employed by most middle-level security firms, giving them guns will only compound a very sorry situation.

AIRS OF SUPERIORITY

Most guards are grossly underpaid and overworked. It is not clear how a person is expected to work a 12-hour shift, sometimes without even a lunch break, sometimes on his or her feet for hours on end.

In short, most of these folks are not only frustrated, they are fatigued and de-motivated.

Giving a gun to such a person is fraught with danger, for any small altercation can easily result in manslaughter or murder. Imagine what would have happened if the security guard whose nose was pinched by the former Deputy Chief Justice had a pistol on her person!

There is also the psychological angle. Give an ordinary Kenyan a uniform and he will immediately assume airs of superiority, if not infallibility. It is not clear why this should be so, but if a mere uniform and rungu can do that to a man, what would happen if a desperado was equipped with an AK-47?

The other issue that should be considered is the proclivity of Kenyans for corruption. It is whispered that some of the guns used during robberies are hired out by police officers for a fixed figure or for a share of the loot. If that is true, what would happen should hungry security guards be given arms?

But having said that, we also need to look at the other side of the affair: Security guards are some of the most vulnerable people in this country — in fact, more so than police officers or soldiers. Especially so are those who guard institutions that deal with money like banks and forex bureaus.

IN THE LINE OF FIRE

They are always in the line of fire and they are defenceless when gangsters strike. What should be done to ensure they can at least survive? I don’t have the answer.

There must be some non-lethal weapons out there — stun guns, mace, et al — that could disable assailants at a distance. Also, it is upon property owners to install additional measures that would deter criminals without endangering people’s lives.

Also, the guards could be provided with dedicated electronic devices that would enable them to communicate instantly with law enforcers should they detect something wrong. I am not an adept in electronics, but I am sure a multi-billion shilling establishment can allocate some money to security gizmos that are readily available in the market.

But most important, if most of the clauses in the Private Security Regulation Bill are implemented, there would be no need for guns. The most crucial, in my view, is the depth of the training offered and the working conditions.

In short, train these people well, pay them well, and then start thinking about guns. We cannot expect security guards to keep sacrificing their lives for peanuts.