DIG Eliud Lagat Confirms Police Officers Have Gone Months Without Allowances Worth KSh70 Million

Deputy Inspector-General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat has told MPs that officers are owed KSh70 million in allowances.

Lagat noted that some police officers going up to three months without receiving the payments.

Lagat raised the concern on Tuesday, 27 October, when he appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security.

He asked lawmakers to consider additional funding in the next supplementary budget to settle the outstanding amounts.

The DIG of police said that the delays had affected officers who had waited for two to three months to receive their allowances, leaving the police service struggling to clear the arrears.

“I would humbly ask that you have a look at it in the next supplementary budget. Already, we have arrears of Sh70 million. Most officers have not been paid for the last two or three months, and we are struggling with that issue,” Lagat told the committee.

The disclosure comes amid wider concerns about police welfare, including pay, working conditions and the resources available to officers carrying out their duties.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua recently stated that police officers felt dissatisfied with the government due to their working environment and the nature of certain assignments.

Gachagua alleged that officers were being placed in situations that conflicted with their professional training and oath of office, including being forced to work alongside goons and harm Kenyans.

Beyond the unpaid allowances, Lagat highlighted delays in enrolling newly recruited police officers in the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical scheme.

He told lawmakers that some officers who had recently completed their training were yet to be fully registered under the medical cover, raising concerns about access to healthcare for the recruits.

The matter adds to the list of welfare issues requiring attention as the government seeks to support police officers through their employment and deployment.

Lagat also asked Parliament to allocate KSh60 million to facilitate the transfer and rotation of officers across the country.

The proposed exercise would involve officers moving between different parts of Kenya, including Mandera, Busia and Narok, as the police service prepares for the 2027 General Election.

He said the transfers should take place early enough to allow officers to familiarise themselves with their new stations and understand the local environment before the election period.

“It is high time that we do it now, even before December 2026, so that they can acclimatize and get to know the environment before the elections,” Lagat said.

The proposed funding is intended to support the logistical demands associated with moving officers and preparing them for assignments in different regions.

Separately, officials from the General Service Unit (GSU) asked Parliament to increase funding for accommodation, equipment and allowances for officers deployed to demanding operational environments.

Benard Kibet Yegon, a Superintendent of Police responsible for Planning, Research and Reforms at GSU headquarters, said that some officers were living in deteriorating tents that offered inadequate protection from harsh weather.

He called for investment in semi-permanent housing to improve living conditions for officers stationed in difficult areas.

Yegon also sought additional resources for modern operational equipment, ammunition, drones and surveillance technology, arguing that the unit needed the tools to carry out its duties effectively.

The GSU further called for a review of the KSh2,000 monthly allowance paid to officers in the specialised unit, citing the risks and demands associated with their assignments.

Officials also sought funding to introduce a special operations allowance that had previously been approved for another specialised formation, alongside resources to establish five operational commands.

National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security chairman Gabriel Tongoyo said lawmakers would assess the requests and identify priority areas for consideration in the next supplementary budget and subsequent budget estimates.

Tongoyo said the committee was responsible for examining whether security agencies had sufficient resources to carry out their mandates.

However, he acknowledged that the requests had to be considered alongside other competing demands on public finances.

The outcome of the deliberations will determine which police funding needs are prioritised in the forthcoming budgetary process.

Police officers receive various allowances in addition to their basic salaries, with their entitlements depending on their ranks, duty stations and eligibility under the applicable remuneration structure.

The allowances include house, commuter, housing supplementation, entertainment, extraneous, domestic servant and annual leave allowances, among other categories.

For example, a Police Constable in grade PG1 is entitled to a monthly house allowance of KSh9,500 when stationed in Nairobi.

The rate falls to KSh7,000 for officers in Cluster Two towns and KSh5,500 in other areas.

The differences reflect the applicable location-based rates within the remuneration structure.