‘All police officers have received salary increments’ – PS Raymond Omollo

Principal Secretary for Interior Raymond Omollo has stated that all police officers have received salary increments as per recommendations by David Maraga’s taskforce report.

In a statement shared on Wednesday, August 21, on the Ministry of Interior‘s social media, Omollo explained how the increments have been implemented.

“All police officers have received a salary raise effective 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.

“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 Chief Justice (Rtd) David Maraga Reform Taskforce recommendations that are being rolled out across these institutions,” Omollo’s statement signed on August 21, 2024, read.

Reform process

The PS explained that the reform process is set to take four years, from 2024 to 2028, guided by a strategic framework that focuses on four core areas: 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, we have established technical committees on the development of the legal and policy frameworks covering the three services that have also been officially gazetted.

“The terms of reference of these technical committees include proposing amendments to key laws and policies governing the security sector. These are the National Police Service (Amendment) Bill, the National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Amendment) Bill,” the statement added.

The PS also reminded the public of the National Correctional Services Policy and the Kenya Correctional Services Bill, which are currently open for public participation.

“In line with the reforms, the policing technical working group is also developing the National Forensic Laboratory Bill as well as reviewing the police training policy, curriculum, human resources, career progression guidelines, and police welfare management frameworks,” the statement continued.

He also said that 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.

“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,” it concluded.

Omollo said 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,” he concluded.