Govt announces pay rise for police, prison warders & NYS

Security personnel will receive enhanced remuneration from July this year as the government completes its three-year pay reform programme.

The Ministry of Interior and National Administration announced the final phase of a three-year salary review on 4 March.

The new pay structure takes effect from July. This completes adjustments that began on 1 July 2024.

A constable in the lowest rank of the National Police Service will now earn a maximum basic salary of KSh57,700, up from KSh38,975. This is a 48% increase. Fresh graduates from police training colleges will start at KSh29,296, up from KSh20,390 — a 44% rise.

Similar salary adjustments have been made for officers in the Kenya Prisons Service.

The highest-serving police officer will now earn a maximum of KSh345,850 monthly, up from KSh289,090, representing a 20% increase.

Officers in the lowest cadre of the National Youth Service will earn between KSh26,222 and KSh37,912. Senior Kenya Prisons Service officers will receive between KSh301,548 and KSh584,903.

The ministry stated that the cumulative salary adjustments over three years are the highest granted to security officers since independence.

The announcement followed a meeting of the National Steering Committee chaired by Principal Secretary for Internal Security Raymond Omollo.

More than 50% of the planned reform actions across the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service and National Youth Service have been completed.

The reforms are anchored on four pillars focusing on institutional capacity development, operational preparedness, oversight and accountability, and human resource management.

Thousands of officers are expected to benefit from the improved pay as the government pushes security sector transformation.