According to NPSC Chairperson Eliud Kinuthia, the gazettement will elevate these officers to positions of higher authority, allowing them to take on more significant responsibilities within the National Police Service.
Once gazetted, these officers will be assigned roles above the sub-county command level and will have the authority to represent the service in official matters within their jurisdictions.
“The gazettement signifies that these officers will assume higher responsibilities within or above the Sub-County Command level,” Kinuthia said in a Thursday statement. “They will also be authorized to oversee disciplinary actions for officers in their areas through subordinate disciplinary committees.”
The promotions come as part of an ongoing process, with interviews for the positions currently underway.
According to the NPSC, the interview process began earlier this week and is set to run until October 29, 2024.
A total of 183 officers who have successfully completed the Higher Training Course and Senior Training Course are participating in the interviews.
These promotional courses, which run for six months, are aimed at preparing officers—primarily Chief Inspectors—for leadership roles in various branches of the police service, including the Kenya Police Service, the Administration Police Service, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Training for the candidates takes place at the National Police Service training campuses in Kiganjo and Emali.
The promotion process is designed to be comprehensive. In addition to the specialized training, candidates are assessed on a range of competencies, including governance, financial management, communication, ethics, and leadership.
However, Kinuthia emphasized that completing the training is just one aspect of the promotion process.
“Undergoing promotional training does not automatically guarantee promotion. It is evaluated alongside other criteria, such as academic qualifications and discipline,” the NPSC noted.
This structured approach ensures that promotions within the police service are merit-based and in line with the National Police Service Commission (Promotions) Regulations, 2015.
Since 2019, the NPSC has promoted a total of 515 Chief Inspectors, with 290 promotions taking place in 2019, 63 in 2021, and 162 in 2022.
The remaining candidates are currently undergoing the interview process, with final decisions expected in the coming weeks.