The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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The Senate has directed the immediate settlement of compensation claims for police officers injured in the line of duty, with a deadline set for the third week of January 2025.
This directive was issued by the House Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations during a meeting held on Thursday with officials from the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) and the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services (DOSH).
Representatives from the Social Health Authority (SHA) and insurance companies such as Jubilee Allianz, GA Insurance, and UAP Insurance were also present at the meeting. Committee vice chairperson, Karen Nyamu, ordered SHA and the involved institutions to ensure all claims are resolved by the specified deadline and to present a comprehensive report on the matter.
This development follows a petition filed in July 2024 by police officers through Busia Senator Okiyah Omtatah, who raised concerns over delays and, in some cases, outright rejection of claims. The meeting delved into issues like the legal grounds for rejecting claims, the need for second medical assessments, and interpretations of contractual terms related to compensation.
A key point of contention was the practice of requiring additional medical assessments by co-insurers, despite prior evaluations by DOSH. The committee deemed this practice unlawful.
Kajiado Senator Seki Lenku criticized the insurers’ arbitrary procedures, which he said had caused unnecessary suffering for injured officers. “Why should these police officers be subjected to a second medical assessment?” he questioned, emphasizing that the contract clearly states officers are always considered on duty.
Nominated Senator George Mbugua expressed frustration with SHA officials, accusing them of incompetence in handling the claims. “The responses from SHA officials are very casual and provide no substantial information,” he said.
This meeting follows a similar session held by the National Assembly on November 16, 2024, to address the same issue.
Compensation for members of the disciplined services, including the police, is governed by the Work Injury Benefits Act (WIBA) of 2007. This Act provides compensation for work-related injuries and diseases, including salary continuation or lump-sum payments based on an officer’s annual gross salary. In cases of permanent disability, officers receive a one-year basic salary multiplied by the percentage of disability. In the event of death, illness, or injury, compensation is set at eight years’ gross salary.
NPSC Chairman Eliud Kinuthia cleared the commission of any responsibility for the delays, instead pointing to SHA’s handling of the claims. He questioned why injured officers were still being subjected to additional medical assessments, despite approval from DOSH.
