Reform units established across police, NYS and prisons to oversee reforms' implementation

Reform units have been established across the National Police Service (NPS), the National Youth Service (NYS) the Kenya Prisons Service (KPS), and the National Youth Service (NYS) to coordinate the implementation of new changes.

Making the announcement on Wednesday, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo also revealed that a dedicated police reform unit is now operational within the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, hosted by the Directorate of Reforms at the NPS.

The National Youth Service (NYS) has also formed a reform committee for this purpose while the KPS has set up a new directorate to oversee prison reforms.

"We reaffirm our commitment to fully implementing these reforms, which are essential for strengthening the country's security sector and enhancing service delivery to all Kenyans," Omollo added.

At the same time, NYS and officers within the Kenya Prisons Service are to start receiving the 40 per cent salary increment from September, as part of the Presidential directive on the implementation of retired Chief Justice David Maraga Reform Taskforce recommendations.

In the first phase, uniformed officers received a basic salary increase of 40 per cent for constables, with the percentage gradually decreasing for higher ranks, down to a three per cent increase for senior officers.

Part of the proposed reforms highlighted in a task force report was that all police officers should have received a salary raise effective July 1, 2024.

All junior officers were paid Sh4,000 more as a salary increase.

President William Ruto inspects a guard of honour during the Administration Police passing-out-parade in Embakasi, Nairobi County on January 11, 2023. (Photo: PCS)

"The reform process is set to take four years, from 2024 to 2028, guided by a strategic framework," Omollo stated.

Core areas

The framework focuses on four core areas that are leadership within the three services, oversight and accountability, institutional capacity development and human resource management, and operational preparedness and logistical capability.

To ensure seamless implementation of the reforms, the PS highlighted that the Ministry of Interior has established Technical Committees on Development of the Legal and Policy Frameworks covering the three Services that have also been officially gazetted.

"The Terms of Reference of these technical committees include proposing amendments to key laws and policies governing the security sector," Omollo noted.

The laws include the National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Amendment) Bill and the National Police Service (Amendment) Bill, the

In addition to that, the Kenya Correctional Services Bill and National Correctional Services Policy are currently open for public participation.

According to Omollo,  it will cost taxpayers a whopping Sh108 billion to implement the former Chief Justice's task force reform recommendations.

The Maraga task force made a total of 598 recommendations, with the National Police Service accounting for the majority at 271, followed by the National Youth Service (NYS) at 210, and finally Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) at 117.

According to the PS, already 221 (37 per cent) are being implemented immediately through administrative actions.