Intro:
Interior Principal Secretary has directed Police Inspector General Japhet Koome and DIG Douglas Kanja to surrender the management of the police payroll to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC). This move signals a critical shift in administrative control over police welfare and salaries.
Highlights:
- Interior PS instructs DIG Douglas Kanja to hand over police payroll to NPSC.
- The directive aims to streamline oversight and accountability in police salary management.
- NPSC is constitutionally mandated to handle human resource functions for the police.
- The move follows growing calls for transparency in police welfare administration
Main Story:
In a bold administrative move, the Principal Secretary for Interior has ordered Deputy Inspector General Douglas Kanja to formally transfer the handling of the police payroll to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC). The directive also affects Inspector General Japhet Koome, signaling a shift in how the payroll system is managed.
The decision is seen as part of efforts to enforce constitutional provisions which place the responsibility of police human resource functions including remuneration under the NPSC. For years, there have been concerns about inconsistencies, ghost workers, and poor accountability in how police salaries are handled.
The NPSC has consistently pushed for control over the payroll as part of its broader mandate. With this new order, the commission will now oversee the entire police remuneration system, from recruitment records to monthly salary processing. The transition is expected to improve transparency and reduce payroll-related disputes.
For officers on the ground, this change could mean better salary administration, timely payments, and fewer bureaucratic hurdles. However, it also introduces a new layer of oversight, which may face resistance from those used to the old system.
The directive now places the spotlight on how smoothly the handover process will unfold between the National Police Service leadership and the NPSC. Any delays or resistance could expose deeper rifts within the security administration.
As the payroll baton passes hands, all eyes are on whether the shift will truly deliver the fairness and transparency that Kenya’s police officers deserve.
