Sunday, November 4, 2012

Police in Kisumu still on go-slow


The officers said the government’s offer did not amount to much
KISUMU, Kenya, Nov 3- Police officers in Kisumu are still on a go slow and are now threatening to ground the ongoing national examinations next week owing to their delayed salary increment.
Two Administration Police who spoke to Capital FM News on condition of anonymity said the government had failed to honor the deal it made with the officers arguing that the government had promised to give them a 42 percent increment spread out in three phases but had only effected one phase of 28 percent.
The officers said the government’s offer did not amount to much as it only gave officers an 8.6 percent increase.
“We will not invigilate the exams from Monday and we will paralyse them because the government has refused to listen to us. A low ranking officer earns Sh17,000 and if you calculate eight percent against this money it comes to a Sh1462 raise and that is a slap in the face,” said one of the officers on Saturday.
The government had released Sh3.7 billion on November 2 to pay the second installment of the pay deal to police officers who have been staging a go-slow paralysing various security operations.
The deal was aimed at easing the go slow but officers in Kisumu maintained that they would not go back to work.
They further claimed that their bosses had been forced to carry out the duties of junior officers in a bid to cover up the industrial action.
“We did not go to work today. Our bosses are the ones who are manning banks,” said one of the officers.
“The constables in Kisumu did not go to work. Officers carrying out bank duties are corporals and sergeants,” added his colleague.
Police officers in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru and some other parts of the country had staged a go slow for the better part of Thursday.
They jammed their internal communication system demanding the extra pay.
Internal Security Minister Katoo ole Metito had denied that police officers were boycotting work saying no security services were paralysed.
Eldoret town had been the most affected as Administration Police officers literally stayed away from work.
“I do not know anything like that… there is no police officer who is on strike. I am in charge of the police and I do not know where you are getting these reports from,” said Metito on Thursday.
The Sh3.7 billion is the second tranche of the police pay increase out of Sh9 billion approved by the government.
Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe had also dismissed as ‘rumours’ reports that police officers were on a go-slow.
“We are not aware of any go-slow, everything is going on as usual,” he had said.

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