The government requires a whopping Sh106 billion to raise the salaries and allowances of officers serving in the National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) and National Youth Service (NYS) as recommended in the David Maraga taskforce.
The pay changes were supposed to be implemented in three phases with the first having been effected on July 1, this year.
Internal Security and National Administration PS Raymond Omollo told MPs although they can mobilise some of the funds internally, they require over and above the Sh106 billion and another Sh28.6 billion to carry out a comprehensive modernisation plan at the NPS.
Omollo admitted before the lawmakers who sit in the committee on Administration and Internal Security, headed by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, that the process of implementing the taskforce report has been slow due to financial constraints.
“Consultations with National Treasury, Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and Public Service Commission (PSC) on the implementation of the new salary and remuneration structure for the three services, to be implemented in three phases from July 1. Phase One we effected 20 per cent, Phase Two and Three we will effect 10 per cent each, to make it to 40 percent that is required for those in the lowest constable level,” the PS explained.
Omollo told the lawmakers that apart from funding challenges, they are also facing challenges from officers who are resisting change due to police organisational culture.
Partial implementation
On issues of transfers of police officers, he revealed that they have been working around it to ensure that officers who have overstayed in one station are moved
“Implementing the recommendations of the Maraga taskforce report has encountered several challenges. These challenges have led to partial implementation of some of the recommendations affecting the overall progress and effectiveness of the intended reforms,” he said.
Out of the 598 recommendations in the report for the three services, Omollo said that 271 relate to NPS, 201 relate to KPS and 117 relate to NYS.
He added that so far, the government has implemented 154 recommendations relating to NPS translating to 57 per cent, in the prisons department they have implemented 34 recommendations while in the NYS have implemented 56 recommendations.
Welfare issues
He disclosed that the government has come up with certain legal proposals to the National Police Service (NPS) Act to establish a forensic laboratory, establish Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as a service, retain police house retention deductions, establish medical benefit schemes for in service and retirement, establishment of National Uniforms committee, as well as select community policing committees.
Omollo added that as of now, the government has resolved that 20 per cent of all houses being constructed under Affordable Housing initiative will be allocated to police officers.
The other amendments that they want passed include one on Schedule Three to the National Police Service Commission touching on quorum to allow meetings of the commission to be any five members so that it can be able to conduct its business while remaining within the constitutional provisions of Article 250 (1).
They also want amendments to NPS Act to allow competitive recruitment of the Inspector General of Police to be done within 14 days by the president in consultation with the Commission and Director of the Internal Affairs Unit who shall hold office for one term as well as the amendment of age, with entry levels for the police proposed to be 21 years to address the challenge’s around immaturity prevalent in the entrants.
They are also proposing an amendment to various regulations and standing orders to limit deployments to a period not exceeding six months.
Lawmakers present called for a total implementation of the report to avoid it being like other reports that have never been acted upon.
