Kinuthia noted that the government had pledged to improve terms and conditions of service for police officers.
National Police Service Commission (NPSC) Chairperson Eliud Kinuthia on Thursday, September 5 delved into the anticipated salary increments and promotions for officers serving in different capacities in the country.
Kinuthia noted that the government had pledged to improve terms and conditions of service for police officers.
In fulfilment of the promise, Kinuthia said the government established the Maraga Taskforce, whose recommendations include an increase in police officers’ salaries.
“Pursuant to this recommendation and in accordance with the mandate of the National Police Service Commission, the Commission has increased the salary of a Police Constable from a basic salary per month at the entry of Ksh21,645 to Ksh25,645 (equivalent to Ksh4,000 higher).
National Police Service Commission (NPSC) chairperson, Eliud Kinuthia. /FILE
“This implies the longest-serving Police Constable will earn a minimum monthly gross salary of Ksh50,145 up to a maximum of Ksh69,640,” Kinuthia announced in part. The maximum salary of Ksh69,640 is that of a constable who has gone through the notches and served more than 20 years.
Kinuthia added that the Commission has increased the salary of a Senior Assistant Inspector General (SAIG) from a monthly basic salary at entry rank of Ksh200,889 to Ksh221,915, an increase of Ksh21,026 higher.
This implies that the longest-serving SAIG will earn a minimum monthly gross salary of Ksh310,725 and a maximum of Ksh409,365. This will apply to those serving within the provided twenty notches of the specified structure.
The National Police Service (NPS) allows police officers to serve up to twenty notches of salary increments each year. Police officers enter the structure at notch one. At this stage, they earn Ksh25,645. The following year, they are moved to notch two where officers serve if promotion doesn’t materialise.
“Even without promotions and change of ranks, we give incremental notches every year,” he added. The chairperson also disclosed that the commission had received complaints of stagnation by some long-serving officers.
“The National Police Service Commission noted there are police officers who have served in the rank of police constable for more than 30 years and their discipline records are clean. This means they have stagnated for not any fault on their part,” Kinuthia explained.
On the promotion of police constables aged 53 to 59 years, Kinuthia revealed that the Commission noted that there are police officers who have served in the rank of a police constable for more than 30 years and their discipline records are clean.
“This means they have stagnated not for any fault on their part. However, it should be appreciated that it is not anything unusual to retire as an honourable Police Constable,” he said.
Kinuthia said the Commission asked the Acting Inspector General of Police to peruse the files of the officers and identify those aged 53-59 years without any disciplinary faults and recommend them for promotion on merit.
He said during a full Commission meeting held on September 3, 2024, the Commission determined and approved the promotion on the merit of 1,957 Police Officers (87 females and 1,870 males in total), to motivate the officers as they approach the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.
Further, Kinuthia noted that during the same Commission meeting, the Commission approved the commencement of promotion interviews for 186 police officers in the rank of CIP who completed their course on August 30, 2024.
“The Commission will be conducting the promotion interview in the month of September 2024. The successful candidates will be promoted to the rank of ASP and begin their entry rank as Gazetted Officers,” he said.
Kinuthia went on to say that the Commission has delegated the process of identification, appraisal, selection and recommendation for promotions of police officers in the rank of PC to CIP, adding that the Acting Inspector General of Police carried out the process intending to address the command gaps in the lower cadre.
He added that during the Commission meeting held on September 3, 2024, the Ag. IG NPS presented recommendations for promotion to the next rank. Among them was the promotion of 31 Chief Inspectors, 88 Inspectors, 24 Senior Sergeants, 98 Div. Sergeants 319 Corporals and 629 Police Constables.
However, the Commission urged the Acting Inspector General to temporarily halt promotions on merit in the meantime as they wait for the substantive appointment of the Inspector General (IG) of the NPS by the President.
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
