By Dickens Wasonga

An acute housing shortage has rocked the Kenya police force. According to Kenya’s commissioner of police, Mr. Mathews Itere, at least 33,000 regular police officers serving in the force are not adequately housed. He further disclosed that about 25,000 officers from the administration police were also not housed.

But the police boss was quick to point out that the government was committed to addressing the issue of housing which has been a challenge to the force for a long time.

Addressing the press in Kisumu, after conducting a tour of ongoing police projects in Nyanza province, Itere confirmed that the government has allocated close to Ksh.2b, which will go towards building new houses and buying several others already built to adequately house the officers.

”We are using the funds to put up new houses for the officers and we are also buying the already constructed ones to house them and we hope to fully address the issue of housing in the next five years.” he said.

In the area, the housing project is on going at the Kondele police station where close to 200 officers will be accommodated. The same is going on at the Oyugis police station in Rachuonyo district amongst several others.

The construction of the provincial police headquarters, which began two years ago in Kisumu, is almost complete.

The former building, which used to house the provincial officer in charge of criminal investigations department, was gutted by a mysterious fire which led to the loss of crucial documents, including investigation files used to by the police in the investigations of the murder of former foreign affairs minister, the late Robert Ouko.

The commissioner said police reforms were on course and efforts to weed out corrupt elements within its ranks was on top gear. He said integrity in the force can not be compromised but also noted that it was important to improve the lot of those serving in the force by looking into their welfare and ensuring they are well paid.

The officers will get a 25 per cent salary increment and a similar hike on allowances next year. Police officers and their families will also be covered comprehensively by the beginning of the year 2010.

Itere assured the country that they are fully prepared to handle crime during this festive season.

ENDS.