The Ministry of Interior is taking steps to address growing discontent within the Kenya Prisons Service following delays in a promised salary increase. Prison officers, who were expecting a pay rise in July as promised by President William Ruto, are still waiting for the boost, leading to frustration and threats of strike action.

In July, President William Ruto had announced that all uniformed officers, including prison warders, would receive a salary increase starting with the July payroll. While police officers have already seen their pay go up, prison officers have not. This discrepancy has led to unrest, including a go-slow by prison warders earlier this month.

Dr. Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, provided an update. He assured that the salary increases for prison officers and National Youth Service (NYS) members would begin in September 2024.

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Omollo explained that the delay was part of a phased approach to implementing the Maraga Reform Taskforce recommendations. “Starting next month, September 2024, officers within the Kenya Prisons Service and the National Youth Service will also begin receiving the increased pay,” Omollo said.

The frustration among prison officers has been palpable. Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service, had previously directed that all uniformed officers should receive a minimum monthly salary increment of Ksh4,000. This increase was expected in the July payroll but did not materialize for prison officers, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.

The reform process, guided by a strategic framework focusing on various aspects of service improvement, is set to span from 2024 to 2028. This includes strengthening leadership, accountability, and operational capacity across the services.