NAIROBI, Kenya — Police constables will receive up to Sh18,000 more in monthly basic salary from July under a new pay policy targeting lower ranks across the security sector, the Ministry of Interior has announced.
In a statement released Wednesday, the ministry said the reforms apply to the Kenya Police Service (KPS), Kenya Prisons Service and the National Youth Service (NYS). The adjustments form part of a structured four-pillar transformation framework.
The ministry described the latest review as the final phase of salary increments implemented in stages since July 1, 2024.
It said the cumulative adjustments over three years represent the highest pay rise for officers since independence.
Under the new structure, a constable in the lowest cadre of the National Police Service (NPS) will now earn a maximum basic salary of Sh57,700, up from Sh38,975.
That marks a 48pc increase. A similar adjustment has been effected for constables in the Prisons Service.
Fresh graduates from police training colleges will earn a starting salary of Sh29,296, up from Sh20,390 before July 2024. This translates to a 44pc increase.
Officers in the NYS’s lowest cadre will now earn between Sh26,222 and Sh37,912, compared to a previous range of Sh19,800 to Sh32,315.
At the top of the scale, the highest serving police officer will earn a maximum monthly basic pay of Sh345,850, up from Sh289,090 — a 20pc increase. Senior officers in the Prisons Service will earn between Sh301,548 and Sh584,903 under the revised structure.
The announcement followed a meeting of the National Steering Committee on security sector reforms, chaired by Principal Secretary for Internal Security Raymond Omollo.
“Officers from all three services started earning the raised pay when the Government announced that all officers in the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, and National Youth Service would get a salary raise to be paid in phases, effective July 1, 2024,” the ministry said in part.
It added that more than 50pc of the planned reform actions across the three institutions have now been implemented.
The National Police Service leads with 57.2pc overall implementation, while the Prisons Service and NYS are progressing at comparable levels.
According to the ministry, the reform programme focuses on four pillars: institutional capacity development, operational preparedness and logistical capacity, oversight and accountability, and human resource management and development.
The salary review comes amid sustained calls for better welfare for officers, who have previously cited low pay and poor working conditions as key challenges affecting morale and service delivery.
Security sector reforms have also featured prominently in public policy debates, particularly in the context of accountability and professional standards under the Constitution.
With the final phase now set for implementation in July, the government says it aims to strengthen morale within the lower ranks while consolidating broader structural reforms across the security services.
