![Graduate officers have argued that the changes were effected without consideration of their commitments. [Photo/ CGTN]](https://businesstoday.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Webp.net-compress-image-15-scaled.jpg "Webp.net-compress-image (15)")
Two police officers have taken on the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) in court over reduced salaries following the abolishment of the Graduate Constable rank.
Reductions effected in their November salaries pushed Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers Meshack Mutukho and John Kariuki to sue the commission. They want their salaries and job groups restored by the NPSC and Police Inspector-General Hillary Mutyambai, and for the commission to be barred from further reducing the salaries.
The slashed salaries came against the backdrop of a fight in the service over career progression guidelines affecting graduate officers.
“There was no communication that their salaries would be reduced, yet they have other commitments. They had a legitimate expectation that they are eligible for an increment as it happened previously,” their lawyer Danstan Omari told the court.
The commission is the body mandated to recruit persons to offices in the National Police Service (NPS), confirm appointments, and determine promotions and transfers within the service.
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The salaries of Graduate Police Constables were first reduced in 2018 by the NPSC after career progression guidelines formulated in 2016 were approved. The officers, however, secured a win in court and their salaries were reinstated.
In November 2021, however, the NPSC effected the salary cut explaining that there was no rank known as graduate constable – a move that sparked discontent within the service.
Mutukho joined the police in 2013 after graduating from Egerton University and was attached to the DCI a year later. His job group was J. In November 2021, the Graduate Constable rank was abolished, his job group downgraded to F and his salary fell to Ksh51,000 from Ksh92,250.
They observed that the move by NPSC affected all graduate officers in 2013 who had not yet been promoted to the ranks of Inspector. They urged the court to stop the changes arguing that it would affect livelihoods adversely.
An Inspector earns a monthly basic salary of Ksh57,300 in addition to house allowance of Ksh24,950, risk allowance of Ksh11,000 and commuter allowance of Ksh4,000. On the other hand, Constables in Job Group F earn a monthly basic salary of Ksh31,000 along with house allowance of Ksh14,300, risk allowance of Ksh9,000 and Ksh4,000 commuter allowance.
“It is irrational for the 1st respondent to come up with a decision to have the salary of graduate officers in 2013 reduced without informing or consulting them,” Mutukho argued.
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