Angira Zadock
21 July 2011
Nairobi — Police officers will not be getting a pay rise this month after all.
Internal Security assistant minister Orwa Ojodeh said the Treasury only released half of the money meant for the implementation of the second phase of police salaries, which was returned.
“We received Sh2.3 billion instead of the Sh4.6 billion that was budgeted for,” said Mr Ojodeh, adding that negotiations on the matter were going on.
For the last two weeks, disgruntled police officers are said to have been on a go-slow — jamming their communication systems and claiming they had not been assured of their pay increment.
But police headquarters has refuted these reports. Deputy police spokesman Charles Owino Wahongo said the officers were actively involved in their duties countrywide.
“The officers’ work has not been affected by the uncertainty concerning the increment,” said Mr Wahongo.
They were yet to receive their July payslips and, therefore, could not confirm whether the money would be paid or not, he said.
However, he was optimistic that the matter would be resolved soon.
Last year, police headquarters warned junior officers that they would be sacked for sabotaging security operations.
The Usalama Forum, a security reforms lobby, has termed the stand-off between the Internal Security ministry and the Treasury as a demonstration of the government’s waning commitment to comprehensive police reforms.
The forum said the move only served to stretch the trust of dedicated officers on their leaders and disenfranchise the officers at a time the country was entering a crucial electioneering period.
Conditions of service
Last month, the government launched a Comprehensive Police Reforms Programme (2011-2013), which placed responsibility on the government to implement the revised police salaries in addition to providing other essential facilities to improve conditions of service for the officers, including decent housing, insurance cover and transfer allowances.
If fully implemented, the salary reforms would see junior officers earn a minimum salary of Sh34,000, up from the current Sh18,155.
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Kenya: Police to Wait Longer for Pay Hike