Who will guard the guards?

I have always questioned the recruitment of old men, many in their 60s and 70s, as private security guards for homes and companies.

It is not uncommon to see them early in the morning returning from duty or in the evenings trekking to their night shifts. They are easy to spot — usually clad in heavy overcoats, woolen hats and carrying bags, mostly containing maize flour and relish for meals.

But how does an employer entrust their life and property to an old guard whose health and energy may not be up-to-date, or even lower than that of the one engaging them? How does anyone sleep soundly at night on the premise of tight security provided by a man who himself needs adequate sleep just to function? What can he really do in case of a robbery, especially if it requires chasing a suspect?

Elsewhere, these old men are regarded as senior citizens whom society pushes to the front of a queue to save them from standing too long. They are served relentlessly by family members because they can no longer function as they used to. Offices retire them on account of diminished functionality. Some suffer from dementia, others are even regarded as a threat to society through witchcraft accusations. But here they are, in some quarters, regarded as world-class security personnel, entrusted with multi-million kwacha of assets.

May I understand where the confidence in this segment of society is derived from? There must be something I am missing, as I liken this scenario to children entrusting chores and responsibilities to their aging and ailing parents. It does not make sense.

Who is to blame — the employers or their families, especially children and grandchildren? What drives these old men to seek employment when they should ordinarily be at home resting? Are employers opting for cheap labour by creating a false sense of security with old men around? What does the law say? Or have these men been let down by their families, so that their only means of survival is putting their lives on the line, perhaps even fending for a younger generation that refuses to grow up and take responsibility? Some even combine two jobs — a guard at night and a gardener during the day — walking long distances to make a living.

So at what point do we protect and care for our senior citizens vis-à-vis employing them and exposing them to health hazards by making them sleep outside our buildings in the cold, rain or heat? And does the retirement age of 65 also apply to guards?

I am so confused.

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