In my army days RHIP stood for Rank Has Its Privileges and meant that officers didn’t do guard duties and if there was dirty work to do the lowest of the low (troopers – us) got to do it.
It seems that RHIP still exists in Zimbabwe today and can be seen in many guises and in the smart cars that ministers and others of rank get to drive. If you are really somebody of note you might even get a permanent armed guard on your home gate. It is almost entirely showing off; I have never heard on an attempt on anyone important at their house.
This afternoon I drove past a smart house in Mount Pleasant with an armed guard outside the gate. He was diligently writing something down in a notebook whilst sitting in the grass on his rifle.
I don’t think you understood. He didn’t want anyone to steal his rifle!
Or maybe he just didn’t want his bottom to get damp!