Windhoek
Bodyguards assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) have complained they are being ill-treated by some parliamentarians, some ministers and even some of the children of high-ranking officials, New Era can reveal.
This week some police officers – many of whom are ministerial drivers and bodyguards – grumbled about alleged ill treatment by VIPs, including Members of Parliament and other top government officials and diplomats.
On several occasions, State bodyguards and drivers have complained of falling victim to abuse and ill treatment by the VIPs they are supposed to protect.
“We respect our VIPs, but sometimes they get out of hand and start shouting at us for no apparent reason, as if we’re small children. Even some of these ministers’ children don’t respect us anymore, because of the way their parents treat us.
“Their kids call us as if we are their age mates. We feel our ministers must change and show us respect, because we guard and protect them,” one bodyguard said.
Following a series of complaints by VIP bodyguards Police Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga said there is a need to look into the possibility of having a special budget for such officers due to their abnormal working hours.
Security and protection to VIPs increased following the Third Constitutional Amendment Bill that resulted in the number of National Assembly seats being increased to 96 from the previous 72, while the National Council saw its legislators increase to 42 from 26.
The VIP Protection Unit is responsible for maintaining security of VIP’s and protecting the head of state, top government officials and their residences.
Aggrieved officers also bemoaned the fact that while securing the residences of top government officials, or guiding them while dining out, VIPs leave them without food and water for several hours, as the State also does not provide for them.
The aggrieved officers said the only time they get to eat is when they change shifts after many energy-sapping hours of driving and guarding VIPs.
Ndeitunga admitted that such complaints have reached his office, but called for mutual respect from both officers and the VIPs they are tasked to protect.
He was also quick to say though that VIPs are not obliged to feed police officers while on duty.
“The number of VIPs has increased. We’re protecting diplomats too. The one problem we have is long working shifts, but VIPs are not obliged to feed these police officers while on duty. Of course on humanitarian grounds they can, but everyone gets their salary,” Ndeitunga said.
He added that they are trying to come up with a budget to feed these officers who are guarding VIPs to sustain themselves while on duty, especially when working abnormal hours.
“Some of them are coming from bases where they are fed by government. Some shifts are longer due to a lack of manpower.
“In the meantime, we urge our officers to take a kabakkie (lunchbox) or a banana to work from their little salaries. They have to take something to eat at work,” he advised.
In this regard Ndeitunga said he recently had a meeting with Deputy Minister of Safety and Security, Daniel Kashikola, who told him that some VIPs have also reportedly vented their grievances at bodyguards and ministerial drivers.
“We also urge VIPs to respect them (police officers) and equally, police officers to respect those VIPs. The complaint is not only from the police officers, the VIPs are also complaining about how officers treat them.”
Ndeitunga further told New Era in an exclusive interview this week that in his meeting with the deputy minister, he was told that some officers leave the VIPs behind “and the way they talk to them is sometimes not good.”
He said the issue has to be seriously considered to improve the situation, adding that he is addressing it so that police officers are sensitised on how to behave when they are with VIPs, top government officials and diplomats.
The aggrieved police officers are mandated to provide security at both national and international events in the country, where security presents an identified risk.