A section of security guards from Mavoko Sub County have welcomed the proposal for them to be provided with fire arms.
The guards led by their spokesman George Onyango said on Wednesday they deserve the weapon.
“We as security guards feel ignored and looked down upon by the government, our cries cannot be heard, we need fire arms to secure ourselves and properties we are hired to take after by our employers especially during the night,” said Onyango.
Onyango said it was rhetoric for them to keep vigil at night armed with rungus as they secure premises and property worth billions of shillings against armed and skilled robbers.
He said the situation puts their lives on the line.
Joseph Wamalwa, another security guard in the same town on his part said all guards need to be trained on usage of the fire arms before the government consents their arming.
He said a number of those in the industry were not well educated and therefore if not properly empowered with technical skills on gun handling, the weapon would pose security risk not only to public but to also the armed guards themselves.
Naomi Achieng’, also a guard with a private security firm in the town, trashed arguments that arming guards would compromise the country’s security.
She argued that it is already successful in Uganda, hence workable in Kenya.