Ruto announces payrise for Prisons Officers as 3,862 Recruits Graduate

By Irine Chebet

President William Ruto used the 46th recruits’ pass-out parade at the Kenya Prisons Service Staff Training College in Ruiru to announce sweeping welfare reforms targeting correctional officers.

A total of 3,862 officers graduated after nine months of training, joining the service at a time the government says it is prioritising reforms within the criminal justice system.

Ruto said prison officers have already benefited from Phase I and Phase II of a salary review implemented in line with recommendations of the David Maraga-led taskforce.

He announced that entry-level pay for a prison constable has increased by 36 per cent, while the maximum salary scale has risen by 24 per cent. Phase III of the increment will take effect from July 1, 2026.

In what he described as a major morale boost, the President directed the State Department for Housing and Urban Development to construct 28,000 institutional housing units for the Prisons Service. Part of the units will also benefit officers under the Probation and Aftercare Service.

Phase One, representing about 30 per cent of the project, is already underway and will prioritise selected correctional facilities.

“This demonstrates our sustained resolve to improve the welfare, dignity and motivation of our correctional officers,” Ruto said.

The President said all staff under the Kenya Prisons Service are now covered under the Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme administered by the Social Health Authority (SHA).

However, he noted that inmate registration under SHA stands at slightly above 56 per cent and directed the State Department for Correctional Services to ensure full enrolment.

He also confirmed the operationalisation of the Wanini Kireri Magereza Level IV Hospital at the Ruiru training college, saying the facility will serve officers and surrounding communities.

Ruto said prison farms are contributing to the government’s food security agenda under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. Seven maize-producing prison stations have achieved 85 per cent of projected harvests, while rice production at Mwea Prison Farm stands at 60 per cent and vegetable production at 70 per cent.

He further revealed that more than 70 per cent of correctional facilities are now connected to the National Fibre Network under the Integrated Correctional Information Management System, a move aimed at enhancing coordination and transparency across criminal justice agencies.

The President urged the newly graduated officers to uphold professionalism and integrity, emphasising their role in rehabilitation and national security.

“Uphold the law, safeguard society and rehabilitate inmates with professionalism and integrity,” he told the recruits.