Private security guards in Kenya have been asked to help the national security arm to secure property and investments within the country to attract more investors. Kiambu subcounty deputy county commissioner Titus Macharia said the government initiated reforms in the sector to enhance their communication skills and how they relate with the public.
Macharia spoke during the graduation ceremony of 500 guards from 10 private security firms who graduated from Dazzling Centre of Professional Security Studies School in Ndumberi.
“There is a curriculum set by the government which guards must undertake and it involves communication skills which is important. Having a uniform does not mean guards are bigger than other Kenyans, they must learn how to interact with people so that they can feel free to engage the guards,” Macharia said.
He said the guards are critical stakeholders in the security space and that police have welcomed them onboard so that they can help Kenyans and assure them of their security to go on with their businesses.
“We want Kenyans to enjoy their rights, we want them to invest, we want them to be sure about their safety and security so that their creative juices may flow to create opportunities for employment,” he said.
Macharia challenged the guards to be passionate about their job and maintain a positive energy while handling the public. He also called upon the private security firms to balance between the profits they are making and the guards salaries as they have families who depend on them.
“Every time you look at an employee, you know that there are several people behind him or her who are depending on the salary they are getting,” he said. Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba who was a guest in the ceremony, said the private security officers should work, earn money and fend for their families in dignity.
