The Kenya Prisons Service wants to increase the base pay of its personnel by 150 per cent in its proposals to the former Chief Justice David Maraga-led National Commission on upgrading the terms and conditions of police and prison officials.

Kenya Prisons Service wants salaries increased by 150 %

The KPS also asks for a 2000% increase in their current housing allowance.

If approved, the home allowance would increase from Sh9,500 to Sh28,500, while the salary of a jail constable would increase from Sh20,740 to Sh51,850.

The Service also argued for a 150% increase in the risk allowance when it made its presentation to the task force at the Bomas of Kenya under the direction of Justice Maraga.
The KPS recommended changing the mission statement of the prison service to reflect the multi-agency approach to national security in a memo to the task force.
KPS makes plea to Maraga-led team

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They recommend that "The Commissioner General of Prisons be included as a member in the National Security Advisory Committee."

Topics like operational concerns, terms and conditions of employment, legal and policy framework, and employee welfare were all covered in the letter.

The KPS also asks for the Commissioner General of Prisons job to be recognized as a constitutional office with tenure security and a five-year non-renewable term for the incumbent.

They should also need the title of KPS Accounting Officer to manage finances skillfully and successfully and address operational problems within the Service.

Additionally, they urged the establishment of a special allowance worth 25% of base pay for officers operating in maximum security facilities holding high-risk offenders.

Terrorists, online criminals, and followers of armed extremist organizations are among these individuals.

The Service admitted that its funding was insufficient.

A funding gap of Sh18.22 billion occurred in the fiscal year 2022–2023 because the Service only received Sh29.73 billion when it needed Sh48.37 billion.

It is the responsibility of the 20-member commission that President William Ruto established to suggest modifications that will raise the professionalism, meritocracy, and morale of the KPS and NPS.