Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has raised concerns over the allocation and distribution of funds within the National Police Service (NPS), questioning why officers in some operational units continue to face financial and logistical challenges despite the billions of shillings allocated to the service annually.
In a social media post, Omtatah said he had received a message from a senior police officer following his request for a statement in the Senate on the welfare of police officers in Kenya.
The officer questioned how police units were expected to operate effectively with limited financial resources, citing the amount allocated to Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices at the sub-county level.
“I have been asking myself: if a DCI office at the sub-county level receives less than KSh 200,000/- in AIE funds over a period of three months, our salaries, fuel, and motor vehicle maintenance then where does the rest of the billions allocated annually to the police service go?” the officer asked.
The concerns point to questions about how police funding is distributed from headquarters to local operational units and whether officers on the ground receive adequate resources to carry out their duties.
The officer further claimed that some sub-counties lack vehicles, while others have as few as four officers and receive no Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) funds.
The reported shortages raise concerns about the capacity of police units to respond to emergencies, conduct investigations, maintain mobility and provide security services effectively.
Omtatah said greater transparency in the distribution of police funds would help strengthen public confidence and improve accountability in the management of public resources.
The senator’s concerns also bring renewed attention to the welfare of police officers, particularly the working conditions and operational challenges faced by personnel serving in areas with limited staffing, transport and financial support.
The revelations raise questions about the adequacy of operational funding at the local level and the mechanisms used to ensure that budgetary allocations translate into resources for officers in the field.
