ENTERPRISE 101

Duncan Kobetbet: Hotel Watchman Who Owns Multimillion Security Firm

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Duncan Kobetbet is a successful entrepreneur in the security industry, running Dango 5 Security Company. Kobetbet was born in Baringo County in a family of eight. His entrepreneurial journey started as hotel watchman to current millionaire status, commanding over 200 security guards.

“I grew up in Baringo but i didn’t finish school. I then started maize farming in Baringo and at around 2006. I felt I was doing nothing impactful there and decided to move with my young family to Nakuru where my brother was a matatu driver,” says Kobetbet.

Life in Nakuru became awful, and no hustling was giving in for Kobetbet, but thankfully, he secured a security guard job, which he had no idea would be his drive for future entrepreneurial exploits.

“When I came to Nakuru, things did not immediately work for me. I hustled here and there without success, but I eventually found a position as a hotel watchman, and after a while, I was relocated to guard a club still in Nakuru,” he says.

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Kobetbet recalls guarding the club as one of the finest periods in the work industry. This is when he met his fate connection in an un-sober condition, but because of his kind heart, he treated everyone well.

“Life got nice at clubs; I would get tips, but there was this guy who would just drink wine every day and would come say hello to me every time he arrived. As time passed, he would instruct me to keep watch on him when he gets drunk, and when he got sober, he would go. The more we interacted, the more we were comfortable with each other, and I recall telling him repeatedly that I wanted to create a security firm,” Kobetbet says.

Kobetbet claims the gentleman once asked him if he was serious about launching a firm, and the man promised to help him acquire a company certificate.

“He connected me with his acquaintance who worked at the registrar’s office. The day I received the company certificate, I knelt outside the registrar’s office and thanked God. In the club where I worked, I asked the supervisor whether they would hire me if I formed a security firm, and they replied that they would consider me. The day I received the certificate, I went and applied for the position.”

Duncan claims the club provided him a position where he would be paid Ksh7500 a month; he persuaded a buddy to join him to guard in the day and Duncan to watch over at night so that in during day he would go hunting for work.

“I requested a friend to work on day shifts, so that I could hunt for other opportunities elsewhere. By God’s favour, everything went smooth for me, and I got more jobs, eventually hiring six guards,” Kobetbet says. “This is when I decided to create an office since clients were always inquiring where they could find me.”

As time passed Kobetbet loaned a boda boda and a car for easing his job. Today duncan brags of 200 security guards in the country. “I went to the bank and got a loan to buy a boda boda motorbike, and then after successfully paying off my debt, I got another loan to buy a car. The Dango 5 Security is now a large corporation, and I have 200 security guards.”

Kobetbet admits that beginning the company was not easy owing to a lack of capital, bad work ethics, and intense competition from well-known companies, but he advises young people to persevere as they find their path to success.

“When I hire individuals, they come with packets of paperwork,” Kobetbet. “Some are graduates but because I am the head, I have to vet them.”

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Written by
STEVE WAMBUGU -

Steve Wambugu is a journalist based in Nairobi.

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