Police pay to go up this month

Police will earn higher salaries this month, Deputy President William Ruto has said.

Mr Ruto said on Tuesday that the salary was discussed with the National Service Commission as part of ongoing reforms.

“The government has already approved it, and it will go into the pay slips of officers this month,” he said at a donor group meeting at the Laico Hotel in Nairobi.

Sources within the police force, however, said no pay rise circular has been released. “We have no information so far. It could be a statement of intent from the Deputy President,” the source said.

Police officers, however, started receiving risk and extraneous allowances last month.

The DP said a group personal insurance scheme for police officers, paid for by the State, will be in the next financial year. The cover is to take care of families and dependants of officers harmed by criminals.

CORRUPTION IN SECURITY AGENCIES

The donors called for improved security in the country.

World Bank County Director Diarietou Gaye, speaking for the development partners group, said that even though security agencies have been reforming, insecurity, impunity and corruption remained high.

“The reality is that many Kenyans today live in increased security risks and face high crime levels. The risks are not just from terror, but also ethnic conflicts and violent crime and these call for continued reforms in the police,” they stated.

The group said the Westgate attack that left 70 people dead and several others injured, was a shock to them. They sent condolences to families of those who perished in the attack.

The donors said that police work is difficult, but the recently proposed amendments to National Police Service Commission Act provide more latitude for use of force and could be counterproductive. Mr Ruto, however, defended proposed changes to the National Police Commission under discussion before Parliament, saying, they were meant to create a clear chain of command.

Mr Ruto said the Jubilee Government was keen on spending more on security agencies while ensuring value for money.

He said that the purchase of police equipment such as motor vehicles and firearms will be done transparently. The DP said that the government is currently cleaning up the Immigration Department to weed out the corrupt.