Pecuniary Embarrassment: Probe Launched On Reports That More Cops Are Overcommitting Their Payslips With Loans

NAIROBI Kenya May 19 -Police headquarters has warned that more officers were overcommitting their payslips with loans and end up earning less than a third of their basic salary.

This has, to some extent, gravely impaired their efficiency and diminished the value of their services to the members of the public, according to the headquarters.

Police commanders have therefore been directed to submit the names of all officers who are suffering from serious pecuniary embarrassment in their various areas of command.

“You are required to submit names of officers from your respective commands who are drawing salaries below one third of their basic salaries. All the affected officers are directed to submit their pay slips to police headquarters by the end of May,” the directive reads.

The probe seeks to, among other things, establish if such pecuniary embarrassment is caused by imprudence or other reprehensible cause.

Section 19(2) of the Employment Act states that the total amount of all deductions shall not exceed two-thirds of an employee’s salary.

The Service Standing Orders (SSO) also states: “Officers shall not over commit their salaries beyond two thirds of their basic salaries and heads of human resource policy units should ensure compliance”.

A senior police officer told ShahidiNews if it is established that there is no proper reason, it will be held to be an offence against discipline according to the SSO.

Officers are privileged to acquire loans from banks and various savings societies including the Kenya Police Sacco.

However, the government has established minimum salary level that must be maintained while securing the loans.

According to police headquarters, such levels have not been observed accordingly, and there are concerns over the effects of this overcommitting payslips with loans on individual officers’ performance and corruption.

The commanders have also been directed to advise their juniors to desist from over committing the salaries and instead learn on investing for a better lifestyle.

An employer has an obligation to ensure that employees shall not receive less than one third of their basic salary, according to the directive.

“Commanders are directed to remind the officers of their core duties and advise them on matters of financial management during parades and lectures,” the directive reads.

The directive come amid increased in reported cases of suicide by officers to mental disturbance. Some of these have been attributed to financial frustrations.

Kenya Police Service headquarters has also directed officers to desist from making frequent visits to the headquarters and instead seek clearance from their commanders first.

“The DIG has noted that officers from the field have been making frequent visits to Vigilance House to pursue issues that ought to have been solved by their immediate commanders,” the directive reads.

In a letter signed by Jacinta Muthoni on behalf of the DIG, the headquarters noted that this habit results in a lot of time wastage, and directed that all officers wishing to visit headquarters must possess referral letter from their immediate commander indicating reason for the visit.

“Disciplinary action will be taken against any officer who does not comply with this,” it adds.