President William Ruto has declared pay rise for the prison wardens that will be implemented and effective from the first of July, 2026, as part of a gradual pay review to improve the welfare of the officers.

According to President Ruto, who spoke during a passout ceremony of new officers at the Prison Staff Training Unit in Ruiru, on Thursday, February 26, 2026, this will be the third step in the current process of reviewing salaries, which is currently underway.

“I, therefore, take particular pride in the implementation of the salary increment of the Kenyan prison service officers with the recommendation of the Maraga task force report. Following the implementation of phases 1 and 2 of the salary review, the entry pay for a prison constable has risen by 36 per cent. Phase 3 of the salary review will take effect on the first of July this year,” Ruto noted.

He pointed out that the government still takes care of making sure that the prison officers are sufficiently compensated to serve and be professional. The introduction of the pay increment for the Kenyan prison service officers is one issue that

The president further highlighted the broader government plan of enhancing the well-being of the prison officers, not just in terms of remuneration. This involves building more housing units to give the officers better accommodations and improve their quality of life. We believe that our prison officers must not only have good pay but also be well-provided for in their living and working requirements.

The incremental pay is a wider initiative by the government to transform the correctional services in Kenya, attract and retain talents and make sure that the welfare of the officers is best.

As phase three is implemented, Ruto has said the government will still be assessing the welfare needs of the officers and making additional adjustments where needed, which will indicate that it is committed to the process of modernising and professionalising the Kenyan prison service.