Parliament Debate Spotlight - Welfare of Police Officers

The following debate excerpted from the Hansard took place in Parliament on April 5, 2007. It highlights the concerns among MPs for the welfare of police officers, especially in light of the rising insecurity in the country and the poor renumeration conditions of police officers.

IMPROVEMENT OF POLICE OFFICERS' WELFARE

Mr. Ojode asked the Minister of State for Administration andNational Security what measures he has taken to improve police equipment and welfare including their remuneration package and insurance scheme in view of the upsurge of incidents of insecurity in the country where policeofficers have put their lives at risk.

The Assistant Minister, Office of the President (Mr. Munya): Mr. Deputy Speaker,
Sir, the Question was previously partly answered and I sought time to seek more information on
the part relating to police welfare. As I had indicated yesterday, the Government increased the salaries of policeofficers in the year 2003 by 115 per cent. The lowest paid police officer was earning Kshs 4,650 and now earns a salary of Kshs 9,600. In relation to housing, the Government introduced a housing allowance for officers in the lower cadre from a
constable to a senior sergeant. A constable now earns a house allowance of Kshs1,650 and a
senior sergeant earns a house allowance of Kshs3,050 in addition to being housed by the
Government. Officers from the rank of an inspector to the Commissioner are paid a house
allowance, but they are supposed to look for their own housing. On top of those salaries, there are
also other allowances which are paid to the officers and were increased by the Government.
The Government increased extraneous allowance for officers who are deployed to
protect VIPs, from Kshs80 to Kshs3,000 per month. Allowances for plain clothes officers,
who fall under the Presidential Security, was also increased from Kshs80 to Kshs30,000 per month.
Animal handlers who were earning Kshs20 as allowance are now earning Kshs1,500.
Instructors who used to receive 20 per cent of their salary as allowance had it increased to 25
per cent. Police officers are also paid leave allowance like all other civil servants. Amedical allowance was also introduced which
was not there. The lowest police officer now earns Kshs495 as medical allowance. The highest officer earns Kshs4,000 monthly, as medical allowance. On the benefits upon death, police officers are paid death gratuity based on their length of service and salaries. The dependants also earn pension for five years. There is also a Widows and Children's Pension Allowance which is based on contributions made by the officers. Theofficers contribute to this pension and the widow earns the pension scheme for life upon an officer's death, but the children earn the pension until they attain 21 years of age.
Officers are also compensated as if they had retired if they are killed while on duty depending on their salaries. There is also a
Group Personal Accident Cover which I was asked to bring to the House. I want to lay it on the Table. It is with Madison Insurance Company. They are insured against death and injury which applies to all civil servants,
including police officers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on top of that, the police officers are also compensated underthe Workman's Compensation Act. All officers who earn a maximum of Kshs33,000 per month or Kshs400,000, per year are compensated under the Workman's Compensation Act. Under that arrangement, you are actually paid your basic salary for five years.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: As the Assistant Minister has said, this Question was dealt with
yesterday. Therefore, we will not give it as much time as if it was a new Question.


Capt. Nakitare: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. The Assistant Minister has
dwelt so much on the welfare side. But the Question was: "What measures has he taken to
improve police equipment?"

Mr. Deputy Speaker: But, Capt. Nakitare, we have said that this Question was
partially answered yesterday. The issue of the equipment was covered yesterday. The area of
welfare was deferred so that the Assistant Minister could get more information. That is the information he has supplied. Now, can I hear from Mr. Ojode?

Mr. Ojode: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is a very serious Question. The Assistant Minister knows very well that police officers get peanuts. They are charged with the responsibility of bringing peace to this country. I have got two pay-slips of two police officers. One is an Administration Police corporal and the other one is a police sergeant. A corporal gets a basic salary of Kshs13,800 and a medical allowance of Kshs495 as he has correctly said. He has a housing supplementation of Kshs1,650. That is it! You and I know very well that, if they are attacked by malaria, those officers cannot afford
to buy a drug known as coartem. Coartem costs Kshs700. If those officers are affected by typhoid, a full dose for typhoid, which is syproxin, goes for Kshs7,000. So, tell me whether that police officer will be alive if he
contracts typhoid. When police officers are out there patrolling the streets of Nairobi or
anywhere, in the event that they are shot dead while performing their duties, not a single
penny is paid to their next-of-kin. They are not insured. In the United States of America
(USA), soldiers are insured to the tune of US$25 million to US$30 million.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Why can you not ask the question?

Mr. Ojode: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have to give him the details first. Is the Assistant Minister satisfied that the amount of
money paid to police officers is enough to take care of their families?

Mr. Munya: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have explained that this Government, because it is concerned about the welfare of the police, increased their salaries by 115 per cent. That is one of the biggest increments
that has ever been done by the Government. I have also given the breakdown of other
allowances that officers are earning now, but which were not there before. They include
housing and medical allowances. I have also mentioned the group personal accident cover
that covers a police officer if he dies or gets injured while working. I am satisfied that so far, the Government has done as much it can, within the prevailing budgetary constraints, to take care of the police. But we will endeavour
to improve the welfare of the police as we go along.

Mr. Ojode: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Mr. Ojode, you must learn to allow someone else to respond.You took so much time asking your question,
and the Assistant Minister did not interrupt. But when the Minister is responding, you are
interrupting him with a point of order. That is why I rejected that point of order. Yes, Mr. Khamisi!


Mr. Khamisi: Mr. Deputy Speaker,Sir, as much as the Assistant Minister is trying to paint a rosy picture of the living
conditions of the police, I think he needs to be told that most policemen are actually living in miserable conditions. Even the allowances that he is talking about do not compensate for that misery. Could he tell this House what the
Government will do to offer permanent and comfortable accommodation to our police officers?

Mr. Munya: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have already explained that all police officers from the level of constable to senior sergeant are housed by the Government. They are also paid a house allowance. It is only the senior police officers, from the rank of an inspector to the top, who are paid a housing allowance and allowed to
look for their own houses. Yesterday, if the hon. Member who is asking the question was here---
He was not here! That is why he is asking the question. I detailed the housing units that the Government has undertaken to date, and the number that it has completed so far. If you walk around the country, you will see the Government
putting up police housing units. We have already completed 14 projects which had stalled during the previous Government. We are busy putting up more housing units for the police. This Government has done what no other Government
has ever done since Independence.
(Applause)


Prof. Anyang'-Nyong'o: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the most important aspect of
security is the equipment for keeping security - the gun. I am astonished that in this day and age,our policemen still use that long gun, which is so difficult to manipulate. In Luo, we call it bonda roka! Could the Government improve the
equipment so that when the policemen are attacked, the equipment is user friendly. In this
day and age, a policeman walking with that long thing and trying to pull it out of the car to shoot
an attacker is wasting his time. That is because thugs use modern pistols. Could we improve the
security of the country by giving those officers proper guns and not bonda rokas?

Mr. Munya: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the police budget was also increased by 100 per cent. It was increased with a view to procuring the best equipment in the market to make our police effective in handling
criminals, who have also become equally sophisticated.

Mr. Marende: Mr. Deputy Speaker,
Sir, one of the factors that can go a long way in improving motivation and performance of police officers is the aspect of promotion. What measures is the Assistant Minister taking to ensure that promotion of police officers is on merit, so as to avoid the prevailing situation where junior officers overtake long serving officers, and officers who are promoted are sourced from other forces outside the police, including the armed
forces?


Mr. Munya: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, promotions within the Kenya Police havealso been streamlined. There is a board that deals with promotions based on merit and performance.

Mr. Bifwoli: Mr. Deputy Speaker,
Sir, there is a very high rate of thuggery in this country. Criminals are ruling the streets and
other parts of the country. What efforts is the Assistant Minister making to purchase
bulletproof vests and modern weapons to combat crime in this country?

Mr. Munya: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have a long list of the number of vehicles that have
been bought over the years. Some of them are even Mercedes Benz. The Department is also
in the process of procuring bulletproof vests to make sure that our policemen are safe when they are pursuing criminals.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Last question, Mr Ojode!

Mr. Ojode: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not agree with the Assistant Minister,
totally. He said that a risk allowance is paid to police officers. I have the two pay slips here and there is nothing like a risk
allowance! So, why should he mislead the House? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are only
three items in the corporal's pay slip; the basic salary, medical allowance of Kshs495 and
housing supplementation of Kshs1,650. That is it! There is nothing like a risk allowance or a
hardship allowance. There is nothing like risk allowance, hardship allowance and all these other
allowances he is talking about. A Senior Inspector of Police also gets Kshs990 as medical allowance. There is nothing showing the riskallowance. Why is he misleading the House?

Mr. Munya: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think my friend, Mr. Ojode, needs to make very
good use of his ears so that he can hear the reply because it is important. I never said that police
officers are paid a risk allowance. I only said that it is being considered. It is one other allowance
the Government is considering to pay the police officers. However, I said that they are paid a
medical allowance. So, he can choose to disagree with me but he cannot put words in my mouth.

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on April 28, 2007

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