State roll out plans to increase police, prison officers pay

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo. [File, Standard] 

Police officers may soon have their salaries increased if the new service reforms are implemented.

In a statement on Tuesday, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said their is a strategic framework to effectively implement the reforms. 

Dr Omollo revealed that the Interior Ministry has had consultations with the National Treasury, Salaries Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) regarding salaries of police and prisons officers as recommended by former Chief Justice David Maraga led task force on reforms.

"Consultations on the implementation of recommendations that require funding without policy or legislation are at an advanced stage. One such recommendation is on new basic salary scheme for the police, prisons and National Youth Service (NYS) officers," he said.

In the first phase, he said, recommendations that could be implemented through administrative action without requiring funding, including service charters of the three services were reviewed and service standards developed.

The PS noted that progress have been made in the implementation of this phase including staff trainings and sensitisations with 65 per cent for NYS, Kenya Prisons Service (42 per cent) and NPS (37 per cent).

He said the development strategic framework setting clear roadmap was informed by the successful implementation of the recommendations that were prioritised in the first phase of the roll-out. 

The PS disclosed that a national inter-agency team tasked with developing the implementation of the proposals finalised drafting the guidelines in March.

The steering committee led by the Ministry of Interior comprised of senior officials of the Ministry of Public Service, the National Treasury, SRC and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).

Others include officers drawn from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, PSC, NYS Council, the Judiciary, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) among others.

"The framework which will guide the team in ensuring effective implementation will cover areas that include leadership in the three services; oversight and accountability; institutional capacity development and human resource management and development, as well as operational preparedness and logistical capability," said Omollo.