Adapting to change is never such an easy task especially if it involves some slashing of cash in your pocket. Recall the feeling every time you here tax has been increased on an essential commodity?Well thats the current situation of Kenyan officers.
There is disquiet in the police service after the new house allowance they were promised was substantially reduced — in many cases by half for those in the lower cadres.
Officers who spoke to news reporters in confidence said they were having difficulties finding suitable accommodation in major cities such as Nairobi where rents are high.
The officers, who have been living in government houses for free, are required to vacate them by the end of this month or continue staying there but pay rent from their allowances.
In its initial plan, the Ministry of Interior categorised the housing allowance into three clusters.
Those in cluster one are police officers based in Nairobi who were initially scheduled to get Sh 18,124.
Those in cluster two are police officers based in Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu and Meru,who were supposed to get Sh 13,124.
Cluster three has police officers based in the rest of the country, who were supposed to get an allowance of Sh8,124.
But according to the Interior Ministry, the figures were reviewed by the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Treasury.
This was done after it emerged that the government policy dictates that allowances should not be half of what employees earn as basic salary.
The bulk of police officers are constables — the lowest rank. The lowest paid officer now earns Sh 19,290, following a slight increment last September.
After the consultations by SRC, PSC and National Police Service (NPS), the latter issued a notice on new house allowances plus an introduction of commuter allowances.