The government is facing sharp criticism over delayed remittance of funds to insurance companies tasked with providing group life cover and work injury benefits for police officers killed or injured in the line of duty.
During a heated session before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), officials from the National Police Service (NPS) struggled to explain why families of fallen officers often wait up to three years to receive compensation, despite contractual obligations requiring payment within five days of notification and submission of documents.
Unsettled Claims and Auditor General’s Findings
According to audited financial statements for the 2022/2023 financial year, claims amounting to Ksh.220 million remain unsettled.
Britam official Bernard Murage told MPs that the delays stem from the government’s failure to remit premiums on time:
“Our main constraint is actually the premium. For us to be able to run efficiently, the first thing we require is that insurance is a cash-and-carry service you pay, you get the full service.”
The insurer claims that 97 cases worth Ksh.206 million have been settled, with only three cases worth Ksh.6 million still in processing. However, MPs expressed frustration that payments only seem to be made under parliamentary pressure.
PAC Chairman Tindi Mwale remarked:
“I’m very sure that without summoning you, you will not have paid this money. Even the next one, you will pay only when we summon.”
MPs Condemn Delays
Lawmakers condemned the government’s failure to meet its obligations, highlighting the plight of families left in poverty after losing loved ones in the line of duty.
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo said:
“They expose themselves to the dangers of life, yet the government cannot pay the premiums. Today, when they die, their children, wives, and husbands languish in poverty, yet they have given exemplary service to this country. What a shame.”
Aldai MP Marianne Kitany and Teso South MP Mary Emase pressed officials to clarify whether the delays were due to claimants failing to submit documents or exchequer issues in paying premiums.
Stalled Police Projects Under Scrutiny
The PAC session also examined stalled Administration Police Service projects, raising concerns about value for money in government spending.
One project involving a three-storey building of 24 units and a mess, initially budgeted at Ksh.64 million in 2006, has faced repeated setbacks. The first contract was terminated after breaches, with Ksh.23 million already paid. A second contractor was later awarded the project at Ksh.114 million, sparking questions about inflated costs.
Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo asked:
“In the course of the original and the retendering, we are talking of a difference of Ksh.73 million. Is it fair to say the taxpayer lost Ksh.73 million on this project?”
NPS Head of Accounting Unit Samuel Thiongo defended the expenditure, stating that the increase was due to a change in scope of work rather than loss of funds.
Conclusion
The revelations before PAC highlight systemic challenges in compensating police officers and managing public projects. With unsettled claims, stalled infrastructure, and families left in distress, MPs have demanded accountability and timely action to ensure that officers who risk their lives for the nation and their families receive the support and dignity they deserve.
