Disquiet in police service as Graduate Constables protest low pay

Police officers who joined the service as Graduate Constables in 2016 have protested low salary they are receiving monthly.

Disgruntled officers who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals alleged that they are supposed to be earning Sh41,000, however, Sh19,380 is what government wires into their account at the end of the month.

They complained that there was wide salary disparity between them (Graduate Police Constables) and their colleagues only with a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate.

“The Sh19, 000 we are earning as basic monthly salary monthly is extremely low to what we expected when we joined the service in 2016 as graduate police officers. This has discouraged us,” the officer said.

“An officer is taking home as low as Sh15, 000 in a month after deductions by particularly the Higher Education Loans Board. There is pure discrimination in the service and we are pleading our seniors to look into,” he added.

They have hinged hope of their basic salary being revised upward on President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has recommended graduate police working in Nairobi be paid house allowance of Sh41,000 or more and while those in other region be given Sh17,000 or more.