Police, prison officers get pay rise amid delays

Police and prison officers get pay rise amid delays

The government has announced details of an expected pay increase for prison and police officers of between six and 19 per cent, with the lowest ranked constables being the biggest winners.

This comes amid complaints within the two forces and a possible go-slow over a delay in the July salaries, which Saturday Standard understands has been caused by ongoing negotiations over how the increments will be structured.

By on Friday, the officers were yet to receive their salaries or payslips. The officers are usually paid on the 24th of every month while their payslips are produced in the middle of the month.

According to the new pay plan, junior police officers have been awarded a 19 per cent increment, which means a constable who earns Sh17,800 will earn Sh3,400 more from next week.

The increment becomes lower as you climb higher in the ranks, with those in the level of senior assistant inspector general receiving just a six per cent rise. National Police Service Commission (NPSC) chairman Johnstone Kavuludi said the decision was reached after consultations with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

“The interim salary increment shall be reflected in the pay packages for all officers serving in all ranks from constable to senior assistant inspector general effective from the month of July 2017,” said Kavuludi.

A Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police currently earns a basic salary of Sh62,451. This means with a six per cent increment, their salary will shoot to Sh66,198.

“Detailed salary adjustments in each rank shall be issued by the Inspector General of Police,” said Kavaludi.

The National Police Service has 12 job groups — from PG1 to PG12. On the other hand, the civil service has 19 pay scales. Constables, the lowest-ranked officers and who are the majority, are on scale PG1 while PG12 is for officers of the rank of senior assistant inspector general.

A freshly recruited constable currently takes home Sh17,800, while the Inspector General of Police earns Sh460,000.

Additionally, a constable gets a monthly allowance of Sh7,000, a corporal Sh7,800, a sergeant Sh8,540, a senior sergeant Sh9,000, an inspector Sh12,000, a chief inspector Sh16,000, a superintendent Sh26,500 and a senior superintendent Sh26,500.

But despite the announcement, which will put a smile on the officers faces since they have not received a salary increment since the last government, an internal memo seen by Saturday Standard showed the Police Service is yet to reach an agreement on how the pay rise will be effected.

The government last month said the officers would each get a 100 per cent pay increment that would be effected in four phases until 2020. But in the memo signed by Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and sent to all regional coordinators, it appeared consultations are still ongoing.