Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo revealed that the police officers received a salary raise beginning July 1, 2024.
The Ministry of Interior has announced that the salary increase for police officers has commenced. However, those at the Kenya Prisons Service and National Youth Service (NYS) will have to wait until September to get their raises.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 21, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo revealed that the police officers received a salary raise beginning July 1, 2024.
“In the first phase, uniformed officers received a basic salary increase of 40% for constables, with the percentage gradually decreasing for higher ranks, down to a 3% increase for senior officers,” he announced.
“Starting next month, September 2024, officers within the Kenya Prisons Service and the National Youth Service (NYS) will also begin receiving the increased pay as part of the Presidential directive on the expeditious implementation of the Hon. Chief Justice (Rtd) David Maraga Reform Taskforce recommendations, that are being rolled out across these institutions.”
President William Ruto during the 49th passing out parade for more than 900 General Service Unit officers in Embakasi, Nairobi County on January 12, 2023. /PCS
Unrest has been mounting within the Kenya Prisons Service after delays in implementing a long-promised salary increase. The government’s failure to deliver the expected pay rise has led to growing discontent among prison officers, some of whom had threatened to strike in protest.
Since President William Ruto’s public promise of a salary increment for all officers starting with the July payroll, a storm has been brewing in the prisons force with the delay now set to heighten frustration and anger and culminate in more go-slows by prison warders, as was the case earlier this month.
Despite reassurances from the President and top government officials, prison officers remain sceptical, with many questioning the government’s commitment to addressing their grievances.
Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service, had earlier directed that all uniformed officers, from the lowest rank of constable, should receive a minimum monthly salary increment of Ksh4,000.
Meanwhile, the reform process as outlined by PS Omollo is set to take four years, from 2024 to 2028, guided by a strategic framework that focuses on four core areas that are leadership within the three services, oversight and accountability, institutional capacity development and human resource management, and operational preparedness and logistical capability.
To ensure seamless implementation of the reforms, the government established Technical Committees on Development of the Legal and Policy Frameworks covering the three Services that have also been officially gazetted.
PS Omollo added that the terms of Reference of these technical committees include proposing amendments to key laws and policies governing the security sector.Â
“These are the National Police Service (Amendment) Bill, the National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Amendment) Bill. Additionally, the National Correctional Services Policy and the Kenya Correctional Services Bill are currently open for public participation,” he added.
In line with the reforms, Omollo also revealed that the policing technical working group is developing the National Forensic Laboratory Bill as well as reviewing the police training policy, curriculum, human resource, career progression guidelines and police welfare management frameworks.Â
Reform units have been established across the National Police Service, the Kenya Prisons Service, and the National Youth Service to coordinate the implementation of the reforms.
Omollo revealed that a dedicated police reform unit is now operational within the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, hosted by the Directorate of Reforms at the NPS.
Similarly, the KPS has set up a new directorate to oversee prison reforms, while the NYS has formed a reform committee for this purpose.
“We reaffirm our commitment to fully implementing these reforms which are essential for strengthening the country’s security sector and enhancing service delivery to all Kenyans,” assured the PS.
