Fred Mukinda
15 June 2008
Nairobi — Police have been allocated about Sh6 billion more than last year, according to the Budget presented by Finance minister Amos Kimunya on Thursday.
Administration and regular police, the General Service Unit and the Criminal Investigations Department will spend more than Sh35 billion.
The amount is more than three-quarters of the Sh43 billion given the ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration between now and July, next year.
According to Mr Kimunya, the Government is keen on modernising the law enforcement agencies by improving their housing and acquiring modern equipment for them.
The administration police have benefitted the most out of the additional funding - receiving Sh 4 billion. The rest is shared between regular police and the General Service Unit (GSU), with allocations of Sh1.5 billion and Sh400 million respectively.
The allocation of the regular police comprises that for the CID.
At the same time, when he presented the estimates, Mr Kimunya announced an increase in the officers' monthly pay. The Budget shows that basic salaries remain unchanged, while wages for temporary staff as well as personal allowances for special duties go up.
The AP training college in Embakasi receives Sh2.7 billion, compared to Sh490 million last year, to cater for wages and personal allowances.
More funds have also been allocated for allowances of officers attached to the government buildings and offices.
Mr Kimunya also released more funds to ensure security agents are not short of vehicles and other modes of transport. Other departments of the large ministry include the Government Press and the general administration and planning, which consist of administrators like district commissioners and officers.
While reading the Budget, the minister said the Government would rely on a more efficient police force for economic growth, especially the private sector.
Mr Kimunya also tabled a raft of recommendations aimed at reducing insecurity and strengthening rights to own property.
A key proposal is to boost the morale of police officers by increasing their salaries and releasing Sh2.8 billion for decent housing. "The security of our country is central to our social economic well-being," he said. "This budget allocates additional funds for the purchase of modern crime-fighting equipment and the recruitment of additional officers."
The minister said the shelved organised crimes Bill, which was drafted particularly to help in the war against the outlawed Mungiki sect, would soon be brought to Parliament for debate. If passed into law, it would also help to combat militia groups like the Sabaot Land Defence Force, he added.
The Bill, published by attorney-general Amos Wako last year, was shelved after being presented in the House.
Some MPs had accused the Government of attempting to reintroduce the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill by another name.
A police housing project has been running behind schedule since it was started in 2005 in line with the force's 2004-08 strategic programme. The aim was to build 27,000 housing units for officers. However, this is yet to be achieved, four years later.
At present, 46 such projects are going on countrywide, among them nine in Nairobi, including a Sh1.4 billion one near Wilson Airport. The Narc government had blamed the police housing situation on past regimes.
And to beef up the force, the Government has embarked on a crash programme which aims to have National Youth Service graduates join the force.
Mr Kimunya also revealed plans to amend the Armed Forces Act to have other NYS graduates absorbed in the military.
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