The Interior ministry wants Parliament to allocate an extra Sh5.8 billion to match police insurance cover with that of other civil servants.
Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho told Parliament that more than 135,000 police and prisons officers are demoralised given that they have been allocated only Sh2.3 billion for insurance cover.
The Interior ministry wants Parliament to allocate an extra Sh5.8 billion to match police insurance cover with that of other civil servants.
Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho told Parliament that more than 135,000 police and prisons officers are demoralised given that they have been allocated only Sh2.3 billion for insurance cover.
He said about 103,000 civil servants get Sh6.3 billion annually for group life cover yet they are least prone to the danger of losing lives.
“We are pleading that you allocate an additional Sh5.8 billion so that the total cover for police and prisons officers’ medical insurance is Sh8.1 billion.
“If we are to match what civil servants get, police need Sh8.1 billion to get exactly what civil servants are getting currently. Police are also civil servants like others but they are discriminated against,” Dr Kibicho told MPs.
Dr Kibicho appeared before the National Assembly’s Administration and National Security Committee which is scrutinising the Interior ministry budget policy statement (BPS) for the year starting July 1, 2022.
Dr Kibicho said the level of cover for police and prisons officers is too low compared with the rest in the civil service.
“For instance, if a civil servant passes on today, the next of kin is paid the deceased salary for five years but when a police officer dies in the line of duty, the next of kin are entitled to one year salary,” Dr Kibicho said.
He said because of the large population of police officers covered under the insurance scheme, the benefits shrink.
“Something must be done in the coming budget. Either you bring the amount of cover for civil servants down or you take that of the police up. Otherwise, the morale of the security personnel is too low,” Dr Kibicho said.
Inspector General Hilary Mutyambai told MPs that service commanders have been struggling to mitigate the anger on the part of many officers.
“You can imagine the number of cases that we handle in a month with meagre insurance cover benefits,” Mr Mutyambai said said. “It is our plea to you that you look into the matter of group life cover given the unique and strenuous duties police are faced with. I urge you to consider it.”
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