Police get major pay increase, see the new salary figures

Police officers, prison warders and National Youth Service (NYS) personnel will begin receiving the final phase of their revised salaries in July, as part of what the government describes as the most significant cumulative pay rise for security officers in decades.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the government said reforms across the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service and National Youth Service are being implemented under a structured four-pillar transformation framework designed to strengthen service delivery, professionalism and accountability.

The announcement followed a meeting of the National Steering Committee on the implementation of reforms, chaired by Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, Raymond Omollo.

Within what the statement describes as efforts to improve welfare, terms and conditions of service, and staff development, the government confirmed that the last phase of salary raises for all Police and Prisons officers, as well as those in the National Youth Service, will be effected this July.

Police constables in the lowest cadre are the main beneficiaries. 

A constable will now earn a maximum of Sh57,700, up from Sh38,975, representing a 48 per cent increase. 

A similar cap has been applied to their counterparts in the prison service.

Newly graduating constables will receive a starting salary of Sh29,296, up from Sh20,390 earned before July 2024. 

“This represents a salary raise of 44 per cent,” the statement notes.

For NYS officers in the lowest cadre, salaries will range from Sh26,222 to Sh37,912, up from the previous range of Sh19,800 to Sh32,315.

At the top of the scale, the highest-serving police officer will earn a maximum monthly basic pay of Sh345,850, up from Sh289,090, a 20 per cent increase.

Senior officers in the prisons service will now earn between Sh301,548 and Sh584,903, compared to a previous minimum of Sh292,765 and a maximum of Sh576,120. Similar adjustments apply to their counterparts in the NYS.

The committee described the adjustment as the highest cumulative pay increases for officers over three consecutive years since independence.

The salary review forms part of a broader reform agenda focusing on institutional capacity development, operational preparedness and logistical capacity, oversight and accountability, and human resource management and development.

Officers across the three services began receiving phased increments after the government announced in July 2024 that salary raises would be implemented in stages, effective July 1, 2024.

According to the steering committee, the three institutions have now implemented more than 50 per cent of the planned reform actions, demonstrating sustained momentum across the security sector.

The National Police Service is leading with 57.2 per cent overall implementation, while the prisons service and NYS are said to be progressing at comparable levels.

The government maintains that the reforms are intended to strengthen professionalism and accountability while improving working conditions across the security sector.