IG of Police Kanja warns budget cut will cripple operations amid security threats

Despite the country facing internal security threats, the National Treasury has slashed the National Police Service’s budget by Sh40.96 billion, a move that Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja warns could cripple key operations and compromise national safety.

Speaking while appearing before the National Assembly’s Administration and Internal Security Committee, Kanja said the budget cuts will critically affect the procurement of strategic and specialised supplies, including ammunition and the new police uniforms.

“Even though the NPS recurrent expenditure has increased, budget cuts have been effected in areas which are core to the police operations. Further cuts on development have affected very critical projects,” Kanja said.

According to the 2025/26 budget estimates before the House, the National Police Service (NPS) has been allocated Sh125.3 billion, Sh29.89 billion for recurrent expenditure and Sh11.07 billion for development. Of this total allocation, Sh102.5 billion, accounting for about 82.8 per cent, is designated for personnel emoluments and medical insurance schemes through private providers.

Kanja warned that the slashed funds will impact critical functions such as the purchase of ammunition and accessories, acquisition of new police uniforms, recruitment of constables, maintenance of police vehicles and equipping of the forensic laboratory at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

He also pointed out that mobility, the establishment of a police hospital in Mbagathi, and the modernisation of police equipment will suffer.

The NPS had initially proposed Sh6.4 billion for the recruitment of 10,000 police constables by December 2025. However, the amount was reduced to Sh2.9 billion.

An additional funding gap of Sh324 million raises the shortfall to Sh3.5 billion. Similarly, a proposed Sh3.83 billion for police uniforms was reduced to Sh1.34 billion.

The budget for security operations, originally set at Sh14.42 billion, was cut to Sh6.4 billion, leaving a Sh8.1 billion gap. The purchase of police equipment and supplies was reduced by Sh489.6 million, a cut that Kanja said “will mainly affect the purchase of security supplies, including ammunition and accessories.”

A further Sh306.2 million was slashed from the budget for fuel, oil and lubricants, affecting police mobility.

“Police operations require constant mobility,” the IG emphasised.

Routine maintenance of police motor vehicles also suffered a cut of Sh111.4 million.

“This will severely affect the NPS officers’ mobility,” Kanja said, noting that police vehicles are stationed in 1,209 police stations spread across the country.

Modernisation efforts were not spared either. A Sh200 million reduction will, according to Kanja, “severely affect the planned procurement of crowd and riot control equipment in readiness for the 2027 general elections.”

Other key areas affected include domestic travel and subsistence, which saw a reduction of Sh156.9 million. Kanja warned this would compromise critical operations of the police across the country.

Other Topics To Read

• National
• Police reforms
• kenya police reforms
• National Police Service (NPS)
• police budget
• police uniforms
• IG of Police Kanja warns budget cut will cripple operations amid security threats
• Headlines

Additionally, a Sh18.5 million cut in training expenses would negatively impact officer training, a mandatory requirement for promotions.

The slashed budget also affects the national forensic laboratory, prompting sharp criticism from MPs. Sotik MP Francis Sigei questioned the government’s commitment to a facility that was supposed to be the backbone of forensic investigations in the region.

“We, as a government, are not serious about investing in the laboratory. We know it can generate more resources and help manage crime in the country, but we do not want to fully operationalise it,” Sigei said.

Although the NPS had proposed Sh1.5 billion for the laboratory, only Sh125 million was allocated.

The committee also heard that the DCI academy had requested Sh155 million for the refurbishment of existing structures and the establishment of basic facilities, but was only granted Sh10 million.

Mount Elgon MP Fred Kapondi, who chairs the committee, questioned the allocation of Sh2.8 billion for the Multi-National Security Support Mission (MNSSM) in Haiti, saying the amount leaves only Sh21.3 billion for local police operations and maintenance.

“How is the Haiti mission funded by the exchequer? I thought it was funded by the United Nations,” Kapondi posed.

In light of the budget squeeze, MPs urged the police service to reassess its priorities and suspend less urgent development projects.

However, Kanja insisted that without the reinstatement of the Sh40.96 billion, key operations would be severely compromised at a time when the country’s security demands are rising.