NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya will in September begin recruiting new police officers, ending a three-year freeze that has left the National Police Service (NPS) short of 5,000 officers, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has announced.
The last recruitment drive was held in 2022, with graduates passing out the following year.
Since then, the service has faced an exodus of officers through retirement, resignation, dismissal and death, worsening the strain on security operations nationwide.
Speaking on Sunday, Kanja said the new intake will help move the country closer to the United Nations-recommended police-to-population ratio of 1:450.
“For the last three years, we haven’t enlisted new officers to beef up our numbers as we aim to attain the United Nations’ recommended ratio,” Kanja said.
Security Gaps and Crime Pressure
Kanja warned that inadequate personnel was hampering police response to persistent threats, including cattle rustling, banditry, terrorism, violent robberies, human trafficking, drug smuggling and traffic offences.
Without sufficient officers, he noted, “the impact of police work is often limited.”
Anti-Corruption Safeguards in Recruitment
In a bid to stamp out corruption in the recruitment process, the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has developed a secure digital recruitment platform.
NPSC Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley said the system will transform the enlistment process and block bribery loopholes.
However, Kanja confirmed the new platform will not be used in the upcoming exercise as it still requires public participation and benchmarking before rollout.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has outlined sweeping reforms for the recruitment process, including:
- Moving medical tests from recruitment venues to police training schools to reduce bribery risks.
- Deploying independent observers such as religious leaders, civil society, and community representatives at all centres to verify results.
- Posting names of successful candidates on-site immediately after selection.
- Spreading the recruitment over 10–20 days instead of a single day to allow a fair, transparent process.
- Ending all recruitment activities by 4:00 pm daily to prevent after-hours manipulation.
“We want to see bishops, civil society, and community representatives at every centre. They will witness the process and confirm results on the spot,” Murkomen said in West Pokot.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo urged young Kenyans to prepare to take advantage of the opportunity once official dates are published.
The recruitment comes at a time of heightened security concerns and increased public scrutiny of police conduct, with the government under pressure to both strengthen numbers and restore trust in the service.
