City guards struggle to survive on sh70,000 salary

Sunday VISION

By Carol Natukunda

Allen Ocatre, 23, was working as a guard at a security company in Kampala. Each hour, he earned sh548. It was subject to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) deductions.

At the end of the month, he would earn between sh70,000 and sh130,000 according to the number of hours worked.

Getting this job had been a godsend. Having completed his S6 in Maracha SS in Arua, Ocatre did not have school fees to take him to the next level. Born to peasant parents, Ocatre is the first-born in a family of six. He embarked on the journey to the capital Kampala, to look for a job.

Once in Kampala, he lived with a childhood friend who was already working as an askari (guard).

“I had no idea what job I wanted to do. So he tipped me that a security company was recruiting young people to work as security guards. They were targeting S4 and S6 leavers. Since I desperately needed a job, I applied for it,” Ocatre says.

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Allen Ocatre


Guarding Millions

After a three-week training, Ocatre was recruited and given uniforms, pepper spray and a gun.

Although he would be guarding millions of shillings at the ATM, he was soon to realise that his monthly earnings were not enough to keep him in the city.

First, accommodation did not come easy. The cheapest room in the city that was close to his duty station in Ntinda was in Kifumbira slums, Kamwokya

“It was a small room and rent was sh50,000 per month. I got a friend to live with so that we could share the rent,” Ocatre says.

Meals and transport to work was a luxury.

“In most cases, I had to walk to work. I would use a taxi only when it rained. For the meals, a chapatti would do. Many times, if I got so hungry at work, I would eat groundnuts and drink juice or water that is sold in kaveera (polythene bags),” he narrates.

Luckily, he had four sets of clothes and a pair of shoes, which he came with to the city. So, spending on new clothes was always out of the question.

“Salary was just spent on my basic needs,” he says.

Ocatre also had to be mindful of saving money for his family in Arua and some little luxuries like airtime to call home.

“When you are in the city, people at home do not understand the hard life one lives. When they ask for money and you give them either sh5,000 or sh10,000 they do not appreciate.”

“While guarding the ATM, sometimes people who come to withdraw money can give you a tip out of pity,” he chuckles.

Many times, he borrowed money from his workmates to make ends meet.

Companies reap big

The paradox is that while most security guards like Ocatre are underpaid, their employers charge a lot of money to anyone seeking their services.

Sunday Vision called different security companies inquiring about provision of a guard for a new private company. A representative of G4S LTD said they would need to inspect our offices to determine how many guards we needed.

“But on average, if you want a guard for the night shift and another for the day shift, we would charge you sh700,000 per month per guard. So that is sh1.4m per month for the two guards,” Ayebare said.

Pinnacle Security Company, said the cost would be between sh450,000 per month per guard. “If you need just a guard without a gun, you have to pay sh400,000.”

At Sacurex Agencies Uganda Ltd, an official from the sales department said: “For the armed guard, we charge sh550,000 before VAT and sh500,000 for an unarmed guard.”

At Armour Group, one Ivan revealed that they charge sh650,000 for each guard.

“So if you want two guards, it is sh1.3m per month and an extra sh30,000 for communication purposes,” he says.

At High Tech Detective Security Company in Mengo, we told Isaac Barugahaare we needed security guards to guard a home in Kyengera.  “We charge sh590,000 monthly,” he said.

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