By Cyrus Ombati
Nairobi, Kenya: A technical team has been set up to review terms and conditions of service of officers and other staff of the National Intelligence Service.
The rates will be forwarded to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for consideration and approval.
PSC chairperson Margaret Kobia gave the team up to July 12 to complete and submit its work.
In a special Issues of the Kenya Gazette dated April 12, Prof Kobia appointed Dr Martin Luke Oduor-Otieno as the chairman of the team while Ministry of Finance PS Joseph Kinyua, Ministry of Public Service PS Bernadette Nzioki and Amb Mary Odinga will be members.
Mr Francis Kirinya Mwongo and Agnes Shikuku are joint secretaries of the team.
Section 21 of the National Intelligence Service Act, 2012, says the Director General of NIS shall in consultation with the PSC and on advice of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission prescribe a scheme of service setting out the terms and conditions for members of the service.
This will provide for appointments, promotions, resignations, retirement and termination of duty.
It will also provide for scales of salaries, allowances, designations and grades of members of the service.
This means it is NIS that asked for the review of the salaries. The security agency recruited more spies to respond to terrorism threats and homeland security concerns arising from activities of outlawed gangs last year.
Funding
There are currently NIS agents in every county and other places to monitor activities they are assigned.
With Sh13.4 billion budgetary allocation the NIS is among the biggest spenders and the enhanced funding could be a pointer to plans to strengthen the agency’s capacity.
Authorities attribute the development to boost collection of internal and external intelligence in the face of emerging terror threats.
