By Ebi Kesiena
The Kenyan government has announced a significant salary increase for police officers, effective from July 1, 2024.
This development, confirmed by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, marks a crucial step in the broader reform initiatives recommended by the task force led by retired Chief Justice David Maraga.
The salary hike is designed to boost morale and improve the efficiency of the police force. During the first phase, constables saw a 40% increase in their basic pay, with progressively smaller increases for higher ranks, reaching a 3% rise for senior officers.
Omollo also revealed that starting in September 2024, officers in the Kenya Prisons Service and the National Youth Service (NYS) will begin receiving their adjusted salaries.
The reform process, slated to span four years from 2024 to 2028, is anchored on four strategic pillars: leadership within the three services, oversight and accountability, institutional capacity development and human resource management, and operational preparedness and logistical capability.
According to Omolla, to facilitate these reforms a technical committee on development of legal and policy frameworks has been established.
He explained that their mandate includes proposing amendments to key laws and policies governing the security sector, such as the National Police Service (Amendment) Bill, the National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Amendment) Bill.
Public participation has also been invited for the National Correctional Services Policy and the Kenya Correctional Services Bill.
While a dedicated reform units has been set up across the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, and the NYS to ensure the successful implementation of these initiatives. The Ministry of Interior and National Administration now hosts a police reform unit within the Directorate of Reforms at the NPS, while the KPS and NYS have established similar bodies to oversee their respective reforms.
“We are fully committed to implementing these reforms, which are crucial for strengthening Kenya’s security sector and improving service delivery to all citizens,” Omollo stated.
