Activist Okiya Omtatah signs deal with government to help police

Human rights activist Okiya Omtatah has signed an agreement that will see him assist the police service to make the integrated housing project viable.

Omtatah and the Ministry of Interior have agreed to halt the plan to have all police officers move out of government housing projects and become integrated with ordinary citizens.

On September 13, 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that police officers will be given a housing allowance that will allow them to live among civilians.

Activist Okiya Omtatah Activist Okiya Omtatah Pulse Live Kenya

Shortly afterward, Omtatah moved to court in protest over the allowances that had been prescribed for officers according to their work stations.

Junior police in Nairobi had been allocated Sh9,000 housing allowance, which Omtatah argued was not enough to get a decent living space in the country's capital.

Junior officers had been ordered to move by end of February

Later, Inspector General Joseph Boinnet ordered junior officers to move out of government houses by end of February 2019.

He also directed that any officer who will not have moved out will be charged house rent equal to the market value of the properties they are living in.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet Pulse Live Kenya

Officers at the level of constables in Nairobi were to receive a housing allowance of Sh18,124 per month,while those in Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Meru, Uasin Gishu were to receive Sh13,124 and those in other counties Sh8,124.

The agreement signed on Tuesday will be presented to Justice Chacha Mwita on Friday.