NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Police Service (NPS) has released new directions for former National Youth Service (NYS) members seeking to join the police force, ahead of the nationwide recruitment exercise set for Monday, November 17.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja announced the changes on Friday, October 31, saying the update aims to make the process more accessible for ex-NYS candidates.
Under the new directive, former NYS recruits can now choose where to present themselves for assessment, offering more flexibility than before.
They may report at their usual home sub-county recruitment centres or at newly added locations across the country.
New Centres for Ex-NYS Members
According to NPS, four additional recruitment centres have been designated for former NYS members:
- NYS Headquarters, Ruaraka, Nairobi Region
- Ole Polos Recruitment Centre, Kajiado West, Kajiado County
- Elangata Wuas DCC Office, Elangata Wuas, Kajiado County
- Ngo’suani Centre, Narok West, Narok County
The service confirmed that all other details and requirements remain unchanged from the earlier recruitment notice.
ADDENDUM TO THE POLICE CONSTABLE RECRUITMENT ADVERTISEMENTThe National Police Service wishes to bring to the attention of the public that the following additions and corrections have been made to the recruitment centres for police constables.All other details contained in
Basic Requirements for Police Constables
To qualify for recruitment as a police constable, applicants must:
- Be Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 28 years
- Hold a valid national ID card
- Have attained a minimum KCSE grade of D+, including at least D+ in English or Kiswahili
- Be in good physical and medical condition
- Meet the minimum height requirement of 5 ft 8 in (men) or 5 ft 3 in (women)
- Have no criminal record or pending court cases
- For women, not be pregnant during recruitment and training
The recruitment exercise follows a recent court ruling that nullified an earlier process conducted by the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
In her judgment, Justice Hellen Wasilwa ruled that the NPSC lacked the constitutional mandate to recruit police officers, stating that such authority rests solely with the National Police Service.
The decision prompted NPS to restart the process under its own supervision.
The IG Douglas Kanja, alongside the Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, had challenged the NPSC’s earlier move, arguing that recruitment, training, and deployment are operational duties reserved for the police service itself.
With the new directions, ex-NYS members now have greater clarity and opportunity as the recruitment drive moves forward.
