Police officers have a reason to smile after the government announced a new salary review where those serving at the lowest rank as constables shall now take home Sh25,645 up from Sh21,645.
The National Police Service Commission yesterday moved to implement the Maraga Task Force report whose recommendation included a review and increase in police officers’ salaries.
President William Ruto had appointed the former Chief Justice to chair the task force to look into the operations of police, prison wardens and National Youth Service (NYS) officers and report to him on how to improve their welfare while in service.
Maraga had recommended to President Ruto that security officers faced serious challenges that required urgent and comprehensive reforms including a 40 per cent salary increment.
“This is equivalent to an increment of Sh4,000 higher. This also implies that the serving police constable will earn a minimum monthly gross salary of between Sh50,145 and Sh69,640 including all allowances. These are officers who have served in this rank for more than 20 years and have exhausted the 20 notches of the yearly salary increment,” NPSC chairman Eliud Kinuthia said. Additionally, NPSC said it has put into consideration police constables aged 53 to 59 who are nearing their retirement as the commission prepares their send-off package.
Kinuthia said the commission had received many complaint letters from constables in this age bracket who had raised issues on their career stagnation noting that it had killed their job morale.
“There are police officers who have served in the rank of police constable for more than 30 years and their discipline records are clear. During a full commission meeting held on 3rd September 24, the commission determined and approved the promotion on merit of 1,957 police officers, among them 87 females and 1,870 males in total, to motivate the officers as they approach the mandatory retirement age of 60,” NPSC boss said.
However, these officers will wait until the President appoints a substantive Inspector General before their promotion can be effected.
“This will enable the settling down of those promoted. It will facilitate him (IG) in stabilisation of command in the various service formations and units of NPS and also allow the commission to address any matter that may become necessary,” Kinuthia explained.
Police officers in the rank of Senior Assistant Inspector General at entry level will now earn Sh21,026 more from Sh200,899 to Sh221,915 while the longest serving officers in this rank will earn a minimum monthly gross salary of Sh310,725 up to a maximum of Sh409,365.
According to a structure seen by the People Daily, senior sergeant police officers will go home with Sh41,649 and a maximum of Sh60,449 after long service.
A new entrant in the rank of Inspector of Police (IP) will pocket Sh 44,369 while an officer who has served in that rank for long will get Sh64,379 .
Similarly, a chief inspector will start with Sh49,769 and a maximum of Sh71,789 while a commissioner of police, a rank held by county police commanders will receive Sh156,229 with the lowest in the same rank getting Sh106,929 in the new pay.
A Senior Assistant Inspector General which is the third highest rank in the service will go home with Sh298,529 basic salary while a new entrant in the same rank gets Sh200,889.
Kinuthia insisted that the commission had paid all dues owed to police officers including those serving in the peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
“We have increased salaries for the officers serving internally and outside the country. What was agreed on as allowances for the officers serving in the Haiti mission specifically have also been paid up to date for the lot that went, the first lot and the lot that went the second lot.
“This being a foreign mission, there may have been a few, a few startup problems of currency accounts and all that. But these have since then been resolved. Their families are happy,” Kinuthia stated.
Further, the commission approved the start of promotion interviews for 186 police officers in the rank of Chief Inspector of Police who completed their course on August 30.
“Those from Administration Police undertook senior training courses, while those from Kenya Police Service (KPS) and Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) undertook higher training courses which they completed last week,” he said.
Promotion interviews, Kinuthia revealed, will be conducted in September and the successful candidates will be promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police and begin their entry rank as gazetted officers.
Despite claims that there was favouritism in the selection process of police officers to be promoted, NPSC defended the exercise saying it was merely based on merit and discipline records of the officers. “The commission delegated the process of identification, appraisal, selection and recommendation for promotion of police officers in the rank of police constable to chief inspector of police.
