NAIROBI, Kenya May 12 – The National Police Service (NPS) has defended the Sh1.9 billion set aside for security of government buildings and VIP protection after MPs raised concerns over the high spending at a time when the country is facing financial challenges.
Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on National Administration and Internal Security during consideration of the 2026/2027 budget estimates, police officials faced tough questions from lawmakers over the new budget line and its impact on service delivery at police stations.
Committee Chairperson Gabriel Tongoyo (Narok West) questioned the rationale behind the allocation, noting that officers assigned to Parliament, the Judiciary and other State institutions are ordinarily facilitated under those institutions’ budgets.
“Maybe explain to members exactly what this is meant for,” Tongoyo said, while questioning why nearly Sh2 billion had been allocated to VIP protection despite what he termed as “pathetic” conditions in many police stations across the country.
Lawmakers also sought clarification on an additional Sh5 billion to Sh6 billion injected into ward policing and police station operations, demanding details on how the funds would improve facilities and services.
National Police Service Secretary Administration and Accounting Officer Bernice Lemedeket told the committee that the government had transitioned police officers from private medical insurers to the Social Health Authority’s Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund following a directive issued on March 31.
The move affects more than 140,000 police officers and prison warders previously covered by private insurers led by APA Insurance, Britam, First Assurance and Jubilee Insurance.
Lemedeket said the new scheme mirrors the cover enjoyed by civil servants and teachers, though implementation challenges had already emerged.
“It’s like-for-like. We were doing about Sh8.6 billion for medical insurance and Sh4.2 billion for group life cover,” she told MPs.
She warned that underfunding continued to affect police insurance programmes, especially group life cover, which caters for work injury compensation, death benefits and funeral expenses.
“Most of the time you see widows and widowers camping at the Inspector General’s office asking for compensation because insurers cannot process claims without full premium payments,” she said.
Chief Finance Officer Arthur Nduati clarified that the VIP protection allocation was not entirely new, but had previously existed as a sub-head under the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit.
He explained that most of the Sh1.8 billion allocation would cater for salaries of newly recruited officers expected to guard government installations.
“Out of the Sh1.8 billion allocated to that item, Sh1.8 billion is for salaries, leaving only Sh66 million for Operations and Maintenance,” Nduati said.
He added that the expanded ward policing budget would mainly finance salaries for incoming recruits, enhanced food rations for suspects in custody and strengthened security operations.
For the first time, the police service has also allocated Sh137.5 million for refurbishment of dilapidated police stations.
Officials further disclosed that the service faces major funding gaps, requiring more than Sh2 billion for medical insurance and an additional Sh8 billion for group life cover.
The committee was also informed that pending bills linked to the long-awaited police hospital had been fully provided for in the upcoming budget to allow operationalisation of the facility.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja separately appealed for support in modernising the police air wing, saying the service currently has only three operational aircraft.
“We have three operational aircraft, two fixed-wing aircraft and one Mi-17 helicopter but we have nine aircraft at the hangar that can be restored with some investment,” Kanja said.
He revealed that Sh102 million had been set aside to refurbish the Mi-17 helicopter and repair another grounded aircraft.
Kanja also appealed for the purchase of two new fixed-wing aircraft to support police operations, disaster response and surveillance.
“We are almost starting from scratch and we need a lot of support in that direction,” he told the committee.
