Graduate police officers have come out to lament a decision by the National Police Service (NPS) to have their salaries slashed.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, November 23, the police constables revealed that close to Ksh 30,000 was deducted from their payslip. The constables also disclosed that they used to earn salaries of the rank of inspectors.
Following the directive by the Inspector General of Police, Hillary Mutyambai, the constables stated that the affected cops were earning negative salaries.
The officers lamented the decision stating that they had won a case in March 2018 which blocked NPS from effecting the changes.
Consequently, through his letter on November 17, Mutyamabi directed the changes to be effected explaining that the court of appeal had overturned the decision of the high court that gave the officers a reprieve. He also defended the move stating that it would bring fairness within the service.
"In view of the above order to have fairness across graduate officers of other ranks, I direct that you adjust the salaries of officers of other ranks in Job Group J to what is earned by their counterparts in respective ranks," Mutyambai directed.
However, during the interview, the officers, who spoke of anonymity for fear of victimization, stated that the decision had gravely affected them together with their families.
“We feel discriminated. We do not know how we are going to meet our basic needs. How will I feed my family? I do not know why the IG came up with that decision. We are so much aggrieved and we feel that what he is doing is totally unfair,” the officer stated.
Another officer also expressed that the decision would have a ripple effect on their counterparts who they state were their guarantors when applying for loans.
"This thing affects close to 1000 police officers. The commission and the IG are literally driving their own police officers into depression. In the next few months, the same will spill over to our colleagues who have guaranteed our graduate police officers loans. Since we will not be able to service the loans, that will affect them negatively," another cop stated.
Additionally, the officers accused Mutyambai of enforcing the changes without consultations further revealing that they were considering a class action against the IG.
"This is an issue of law, how does a police officer wake up one day and find that he is earning a negative salary or Ksh300 yet they have dependents. We have to bring a class suit against Hillary Mutyambai,"
"It does not change the fact that we are disciplined officers but when pushed against the wall as it today, I would think very honestly we have to bring Mutyamabi as an individual to account," the officer disclosed.
One of the officers who disclosed that he has been earning Ksh71, went ahead to state that the decision will see a rise in unlawful activities urging the police force to reconsider their decision.
"If you can remember the officer who was offered Ksh150,000 for information. If you are faced with such a situation and you are earning a negative salary of Ksh7,000 or Ksh2,000 or even Ksh71 in my case, I might be forced to take that," he stated.
