Prisons Officers Threaten to go on Strike Over Missed pay
Discontent is boiling over within the Kenya Prisons Service as officers threaten to strike over an unfulfilled promise of a Ksh4,000 pay raise. The tension reached a peak on Thursday with a go-slow protest against what they describe as inadequate pay and broken governmental pledges.
President William Ruto, in July 2024, had assured prison officers of a salary increment starting with their July pay. Despite this public commitment, officers saw no changes in their payslips, sparking widespread frustration. Felix Koskei, the head of public service, had directed that all uniformed officers, from constable upward, should receive a minimum monthly salary increase of Ksh4,000. This adjustment was expected in the July payroll but did not materialize for the prison officers, leading to unrest.
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, President Ruto reiterated the promise to enhance the salaries of police and prison officers, emphasizing the administration’s commitment despite financial constraints. “From this month, we will be living up to our commitment to enhance the salaries of our policemen and our prison officers,” Ruto declared, reinforcing the 2023 pledge to increase officers’ salaries by 40 percent over three years, following recommendations from a task force on police reforms led by former Chief Justice David Maraga.
However, it has become evident that prison officers have yet to see any changes in their payslips, unlike their counterparts in the police service who received the promised adjustments. Officers speaking anonymously to Citizen TV voiced their frustration over the dire financial situation they face. “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.”
An examination of the officers’ pay highlights the severity of the issue. A constable’s gross salary is Ksh47,800, but after deductions, they take home only Ksh8,000. “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,” an officer explained.
The government’s failure to implement the pay rise has severely affected the officers’ financial stability and trust in the administration’s promises. The Kenya Prisons Service is now on the brink of a significant crisis, with officers determined to take action if their demands are not met promptly.
Catchy Excerpt:
Kenya Prisons Service faces a major crisis as officers, frustrated by an unfulfilled pay rise promise, threaten to strike. Despite President Ruto’s assurance of a Ksh4,000 salary bump, officers’ payslips remain unchanged, sparking widespread unrest. The situation escalates with officers voicing severe financial strain, leaving the service teetering on the brink of a significant upheaval.
