The National Police Service (NPS) has cut its pay budget by Sh1.4 billion, citing an overestimation of personnel costs and changes in staffing numbers.
Accounting Officer Bernice Lemedeket told the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on Thursday that the adjustment aligns the budget with the actual number of officers currently in service.
Lemedeket explained that the reduction reflects exits of police officers from the service and delays in recruiting new personnel.
“NPS Accounting Officer Ms Bernice Lemedeket explained that the adjustment was necessary to align the budget provision with the actual number of officers currently in service. She attributed the variance to staff exits and the delayed start of the recruitment process for uniformed officers, which affected the projected expenditure,” Parliament stated.
During the session, committee members led by Gabriel Tongoyo expressed concern over frequent adjustments to predictable costs like salaries.
They emphasised that such expenses should be accurately projected during budget preparation and warned against misusing Article 223 of the Constitution to introduce spending that is not genuinely urgent.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said the service needs an additional Sh21 billion to fund operations and enhance security ahead of the 2027 general election. Kanja highlighted critical gaps in infrastructure, noting that some stations still lack electricity and nearly half have no vehicles.
“Fifty per cent of our police stations have no form of transport, and that is an impediment to the provision of services. We would request this committee to support us in that direction so that many stations can have transport,” Kanja said, stressing the importance of vehicles for quick emergency response.
The NPS had initially been allocated Sh127 billion at the start of the 2025-2026 financial year. The revised personnel budget now better reflects the service’s current staffing, but the shortfall for operations and security preparations underscores the challenges police face as the country approaches the next election cycle.
