NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 15 — The National Treasury has proposed an allocation of Sh338.2 billion to security operations in the 2023/2024 budget.
While presenting the budget estimates in Parliament on Thursday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u said the funds will support the operations of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Police Service (NPS) the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Prison Services.
CS Ndung’u emphasized that a stable environment is essential for country’s development.
“Security is critical for creating a safe environment for the investment and protection of our citizens and their property,” Ndung’u stated.
Of the proposed security war chest, the KDF received the lion’s share of Sh144.9 billion followed by the National Police Service who were allocated S98.6 billion.
The country’s spy agency, NIS, is projected to receive Sh44.3 billion while the Prisons and Correctional Services is earmarked to receive Sh31.3 billion.
CS Ndung’u further proposed S8.8 billion to the leasing of police motor vehicles.
To better equip the NPS, the Treasury CS proposed an initial allocation of Sh500 million for the police modernization programme which will be revised in the future.
“I will later be requesting this August house for enhanced funding approval once the ongoing discussions on comprehensive police modernization program once it is concluded,” he said.
To step up war on crime and enhance support to administration of justice, the Treasury proposed to the National Assembly to effect Sh 856 million to equip the National Forensics laboratory which sits at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters.
Personnel welfare
CS Ndung’u further stressed that the improvement of the welfare the country’s disciplines forces is at the centre of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
To improve housing accommodation for the KDF officers, Ndung’u said that the government shall fast-track the delivery of staff houses through public-private partnership framework.
“We have already around Kenya Defence Forces to retain Sh 534 million currently collected from rental income and applied towards repayment for the houses once complete,” he added.
Commenting on the former Chief Justice David Maraga-led Task force that was appointed by President William Ruto to review the terms and conditions of Police, Prisons and National Youth Service, CS Ndung’u said that his office shall be presenting a funding proposal to August house once the discussions are concluded and adopted within the government.
Other proposed allocations include Sh2.9 billion for group personal insurance for Police and Prisons Services and Sh5.8 billion for their medical insurance.
