The United Nations afforded me the opportunity to make a difference while working in my country. I joined the United Nations in January 2004 after several years working with the Kenyan Police Force Criminal Investigations Department. After national elections in Kenya in 2007 an outbreak of violence occurred following a hotly contested election. Several protesters attacked police and other security forces. My team worked closely with Kenyan security forces to subdue violence by securing major road intersections and dispersing large and violent crowds primarily in the Nyanza Province in Nairobi.

I am proud to be a Security Officer for the United Nations Office in Nairobi. I am the first person that the United Nations Staff sees every morning and the last person they see when they leave for the night. This inspires me to provide constant vigilance and assist in any manner possible. The members of my team maintain a high level of professionalism and we take pride in serving as a separate entity from the local police forces. When leaders from other nations visit our facilities, they know they are in good hands. This not only makes a good impression for the United Nations, but for my country, Kenya, too. I love being able to make a difference in people’s lives.

Every day is a new experience while working for the United Nations, but I can expect several things to occur during my typical work day. Every morning I receive a security brief that covers the day’s operations. My team analyzes the security level and identifies areas of operation where our work will be the most concentrated and effective. I liaise with the security team from the day before and take their input in order to direct my team on a specific area of security. During the day we check identification cards, secure large entrances and exits, as well as provide any assistance to staff members who are not familiar with the area. We also hold supervisors’ meetings in order to check the progress of security and provide each other feedback to improve our daily security operations. In the evening another security team takes over my area of operations for the remainder of the day or night. I debrief the new team leader and provide him with recommendations for improving the security situation.

To any prospective applicant, I recommend reading about the Organization on the United Nations’ Career Portal and apply on-line. The new on-line portal provides a great deal of information about qualifications, requirements, and application procedures. It also helps to know a little bit about the nations represented in the United Nations; the more you know about this richly diverse and committed organization, the more you will love the work here!

I have a number of hobbies I continue to pursue while working with the United Nations. I enjoy traveling and I like playing a lot of sports. I’m also a fan of puzzles and problem-solving, which stems from my affinity for investigations and security.