KENYA: Security Guard Loves His Job, Asks the Youth to be Open-mined to Job Opportunities

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Submitted by IQ4News on Thu, 22/12/2011 - 1:41pm

With inflation pushing many Kenyans to the streets, one man does not complain. It is not that he has a lucrative job, but passion and the desire to see people transform into law-abiding members of the society is what keeps Ben Oburu Dwalo as a security guard.

By Joab Apollo

A family man, he argues that life is not about money but what one gives to the society.

"I realy love my job. It is something I do with passion even with the meagre salary. I would not jump ship even if I were to get a well-paying job. I would be the last person to join an industrial boycott for increase wage if everyone in Kenya were to do that," he says.

He began his job as a security guard with the Group 4 Securicor (G4S) in 1998, and his sterling performance has seen him not only receive accolades, but also draw respect from his bosses and peers.

In 1998, however, he was forced to resign to take care of his father who was ailing.

"My father had a long illness and I could not balance between working and looking after him since I am the only surviving member of the family," he states.

After that period, the G4S still recalled him judging from his record.

"They recalled me despite the many applicants who showed interest to join the career. It is because they went through my record and found out it was befitting," he said.

He has since acquired the Chief Security stature in the force.

Not for the less priviledge

His job revolves around ensuring the safety, protection of human life and theft, a task he says is not for the faint-hearted.

Many a times he has to grapple with people who do not understand his role. He deals with such people by explaining to them what is required of them and avoids confrontation to get into the root of any criminal matter.

"A suspect also has dignity. You study him carefully and make him feel comfortable to if you want to succeed in your investigation. While there are times when you have to appear hawk-eyed, this should not be the basis of your work. You have to be like a sleuth in our kind of job," he explains.

In 2005, he managed to apprehend 5 thieves who had raided a ladies hostel at the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton while graduation was going on, stealing property estimated to have worthed Ksh. 500,000.

He achieved that by enegaging local leaders who appeared comfortable dealing with him.

"I immediately formed a network with local leaders and through that we managed to track the boys. They were just from the neighbourhood," he says.

This was followed by an "Award for Good Service" from the G4S and lots of recommendation from his bosses at the firm and at the University.

Among the places the has served include Standard Chartered Bank, Equity Bank, Cooperative ATM, Alarms Department and Nandi Hills, with the instituions still wishing that he gets back.

"They always call me to go and work for them without knowing that it is the duty of my bosses at the G4S to transfer me," he says.

Even though the income from the job is low, his membership of a scheme at his workplace, where he can request for loans for his childrens school fees, has kept him afloat.

He urges young peopel not to view it as a job for the less-priviledged, but to join since reward is in the service for humanity, not money and prestige.

"I call upon young people to join this profession even if they hold university degrees. We serve all professionals and that means that the job requires people of diverse professional backgrounds," he argues.