‘Alpha Sierra One’

When my day begins, Angama Mara is still asleep. At 03h30, I wake up, get ready, and dress in my uniform. By the time I report for duty, the Askaris (Swahili for security) are already moving guests safely in the dark to their vehicles for their sunrise hot-air balloon safaris. I oversee this to make sure everything runs smoothly.  

By dawn, I am in my office, checking the security equipment. Each morning, Askaris on duty report to unload and log in firearms, which I inspect before storing. Once that is done, I release the night shift to rest. Many worked past midnight and will return to duty later in the day. 

Angama has no fences, so animals come and go as they please, and our job is to keep guests and staff safe while respecting the wildlife. Every morning, I assign two Askaris — one for North Camp and one for South Camp — to check for animals near the lodge.

Baboons like to cause trouble, and sometimes we get bigger visitors like elephants, buffaloes, and even lions. The most dangerous are buffaloes and elephants because they are territorial. A leopard is different — you can spot one at night if you are quiet, but it won’t cause problems unless provoked. It is my responsibility to know which animals are nearby and where they are moving.

No safari leaves camp until I give the go-ahead. The Guides check in with me first as it is also important my team and I know the movement of vehicles on the property too. Apart from patrols, we also provide security for special guest experiences, like Out of Africa picnics. Behind the scenes, our guests don't know that we always send an Askari ahead to check for dangerous animals before escorting them up the hill.

Some guests want to go for early morning runs, but we always advise them to wait until after it is light, as running in the dark is too risky. As a leader of Angama, I am proud to get involved in the Angama Mara staff community as the manager of the Angama Running Club.

In 2024, we ran the Mara Marathon — a 50km relay across the Mara River.  The Mara Conservancy Rangers protected my team whilst we ran, and a helicopter followed the race in case of any danger.  

I have been at Angama from the very beginning. In fact, I was the first Head of Department to stay on the property while it was still under construction, and that was when my radio first started to crackle with my call sigh 'Alpha Sierra One' (Angama Security One), which has now become the name I am known and respected by. Back then, my team had to secure the site and work alongside contractors. Today, I lead a team of 30.

Before Angama, I was in the Kenyan police for 23 years. I started in the paramilitary General Service Unit and later joined the Presidential Escort. For 12 years, I travelled with the president to China, India, Malawi, Israel and the US.

Life in the police was very different. There, you follow orders. Here, you think for yourself. You assess the situation, decide the best course of action, and make sure no harm comes to anyone — human or animal.  

For me, security at Angama Mara is about coexistence with the wild; it’s not just about reacting to threats. It’s about anticipating them, knowing when to step in and when to step back. It’s about training a team to read the land, understand animals’ patterns, and ensure guests have an unforgettable experience, knowing they are safe without disturbing nature's balance.

In ten years, we have only had to use live ammunition once. In 2020, a hippo charged a director near the camp. We fired, but it kept running until the conservancy rangers intervened. It finally fell near the Out of Africa kopje.