Looming Crisis as Officers under Kenya Prisons Service Express Frustration Over Unmet Salary Increase Promises
Looming Crisis as Officers under Kenya Prisons Service Express Frustration Over Unmet Salary Increase Promises: Officers under the prison service have threatened to strike following the government’s failure to implement a promised Ksh4,000 pay rise.
On Thursday they staged a go-slow, protesting against what they describe as poor pay and unfulfilled governmental promises.
This comes after President William Ruto assured that prison officers would receive a salary increment, beginning with their July pay.
Felix Koskei, the head of public service, had directed that all uniformed officers, from the lowest rank of constable, should receive a minimum monthly salary increment of Ksh4,000.
President Ruto underscored the government’s promise to enhance the salaries of police and prison officers during the swearing-in ceremony of Patrick Mwiti Arandu as the new Commissioner General of the Kenya Prisons Service at State House Nairobi on July 24. He emphasised the administration’s commitment to supporting men in uniform despite financial constraints.
He stated,”As a commitment that I made to our men in uniform, from this month, we will be living up to our commitment to enhance the salaries of our policemen and our prison officers,”
However, Officers speaking anonymously to Citizen TV expressed their frustration and anger, linked to the financial strain they are facing.
“We are yet to receive anything despite the promises to increase the salary,” one officer lamented.
Another added, “They are saying it should have arrived, yet we haven’t seen anything.”
Another stated,”Our pay is Ksh34,000 after deductions. If, for example, you pay for a house at Ksh15,000, then pay for a house help maybe Ksh7,000. You can see that the money is barely enough to cater for a family,”
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