General Service Unit (GSU) officers stationed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have raised urgent concerns over inadequate allowances and the significant personal hardship they now face, as reported by a colleague familiar with their plight.
Since their deployment in June 2023, these officers say their so-called “allowance” has consisted merely of a small packet of milk and bread, an amount they describe as insufficient to support themselves and their families amid rising living costs. GSU officers decry deplorable conditions at JKIA, saying appeals for better compensation have been ignored.
Sources reveal that many are struggling daily to afford basic necessities such as food, rent, and utility bills, yet feel compelled to remain silent for fear of job loss or being reassigned.
Internal communications indicate that several officers have made repeated but unsuccessful appeals to the relevant authorities for a review and correction of their compensation structure.
They argue that not only is the current allowance demeaning, but it also undermines morale and demonstrates a failure to recognize the essential public service they provide at the country’s main international gateway.
With no official response forthcoming, those affected have begun to appeal for external intervention, urging parliamentary oversight bodies, the National Police Service Commission, and the Office of the President to urgently assess compensation levels for security personnel assigned to high-risk, critical locations.
The affected officers are now calling for an immediate review of their deployment terms, urging the government to replace the token allowance with a standardized and dignified compensation package that reflects the demands and risks of their role at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
They are appealing to the National Police Service Commission, the Ministry of Interior and other oversight bodies to intervene, arguing that their current treatment is not only unsustainable but also a violation of their basic rights as law enforcement personnel serving in a high-security environment. "Hi Nyakundi. We are General Service Unit officers deployed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport since June 2023, and we are reaching out because we are completely worn down emotionally, financially and mentally. Our so-called ‘allowance’ consists of only a packet of milk and a piece of bread. That is all we have been receiving for over a year, despite serving long hours at one of the most sensitive and high-risk security installations in the country. This is dehumanizing. We are human beings with families to feed and we are barely able to meet our basic needs like food, rent, and utilities. We have made several appeals internally through the available channels but none have yielded any results. We are afraid to raise our voices publicly for fear of being victimized, punished, or transferred. Our morale is extremely low. It feels as though our suffering is invisible, even as we risk our lives and dedicate ourselves to national service. We are now appealing for external intervention because we have endured enough. We are calling upon the National Police Service Commission, the Ministry of Interior, Parliament, and all relevant oversight bodies to urgently look into our welfare and deployment terms. We need a proper and dignified compensation structure that reflects the nature of our work at the country’s main international gateway. Please help us bring attention to our situation. We are not asking for special treatment but only for fairness and basic human dignity."