Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has directed Inspector General Japheth Koome to offer jobs to widows whose husbands lost their lives while on duty.
According to CS Kindiki, this will ensure that the widows make ends meet as one of the ways of offering distress comfort services to grieving families.
Kindiki spoke during the Joint Commemorative Service to celebrate fallen heroes at the National Police Service College in Embakasi, Nairobi.
"We have agreed those widows who have the requirements, we have a number of positions which we can support you to be employed, not in the police service but generally the public service."
"Therefore I want to direct the National Police Service Commission, IG, and the PSs to finalise the arrangements and the need assessment, we can just start with this year and see those we can place for employment," Kindiki stated.
Following the directive, the recruitment will start with widows who lost their husbands this year, followed by those affected in previous years.
For the widows who don't have the necessary qualifications, the government will resort to helping their children cope with the death of the breadwinners.
"As one of the legacies of the current regime, in the coming months, will also set up an endowment fund to offer scholarships and other financial support for grieving families" CS Kindiki stated.
"I did ask the institutions concerned to set up the endowment fund, and the vice chairperson of the national police service who is here, has assured me that the policy framework for the endowment fund has been complemented and is waiting for my approval," he further clarified.
He promised to operationalise the fund this financial year 2022/2023 and ensure it is managed by the families who lost their loved ones rather than the government.
In December last year, CS Kindiki announced that the government would prioritise the kins of fallen police officers in subsequent police recruitment.
He added that children, widows, and close relatives would be given the top priority in the nationwide exercise. The plan is yet to be realised.
"We will sustain prioritisation of the consideration of at least one eligible member whenever recruitment opportunities in our police service and the prison services arise," Kindiki stated on December 16, 2023.
