NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has released the Economic Survey 2025, revealing a troubling decline in the country’s police-to-civilian ratio, which worsened from 1:479 in 2023 to 1:512 in 2024.
This reduction follows a significant dip in the total number of police officers, which decreased by 3.6% from 108,013 in 2023 to 104,080 in 2024.
The decline in police personnel marks a stark contrast to previous years when the force was expanding.
In 2022, the police force reached a peak of 109,857 officers, but the numbers have fallen since then due to various factors, including a freeze on recruitment in 2023 due to budgetary constraints.
The shrinking police force poses significant challenges for public safety, particularly in densely populated and high-crime areas.
While Africa Check notes that the UN-recommended police-to-civilian ratio of 1:450 isn’t an official standard, the figures highlight a growing concern about the impact of fewer officers on maintaining law and order.
Responding to this staffing gap, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced plans to recruit 10,000 new officers within the next two to three months.
This recruitment drive is part of a larger strategy to address officer shortages and bolster security, especially in regions suffering from insecurity.
“The number of applicants during recruitments is overwhelming, and fraud has been a recurring issue. This must stop. Leveraging technology is the way to eliminate these gaps,” stated Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, further emphasizing the use of a digital recruitment system to ensure a transparent and efficient process.
The National Police Service (NPS) aims to recruit at least 25,000 officers over the next five years to address the shortfall caused by last year’s recruitment freeze.
Last year, over 10,000 officers left the service due to natural attrition, retirement, and redeployment.
The recruitment of police personnel is overseen by the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), although the Inspector-General handles the recruitment of uniformed officers.
The task force on police reforms has also proposed raising the minimum academic qualifications for recruits, from a D+ to a C- for general officers, and a B for cadet officers.
This proposal aims to elevate the professional standards of the police service and improve morale.
