KNCHR Commissioner Jedidah Wakonyo addressing journalists on Friday
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 17 – Lobbyists led by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) now says they have put in place stringent measures to ensure Monday’s police recruitment is above board.
The eight human rights organisation say they will have representatives in various recruiting centres specifically those marred by irregularities during 2014 recruitment exercise.
According to the National Police Service Commission, 36 stations across the country were worst hit by irregularities. They have also launched a social media campaign to ensure the hiring of 10,000 police recruits is done according to the constitution and also ensure that any irregularity is easily detected.
KNCHR Commissioner Jedidah Wakonyo addressing journalists on Friday said they want the National Police Service Commission to ensure officers who participated in the previous exercise that was marred by irregularities are barred from interviewing the participants.
“The current recruitment of members of the National Police Service is a matter of great public interest and must therefore reflect the objectives and goals of the National Police Service Commission that is tasked with ensuring that the National Police Service is well resourced in its function and also recruits service men and women who meet the minimum police recruitment standards,” she said.
“We are calling on all members of the public to support in monitoring the process by contacting the monitoring centre on via SMS 0713584101 or call these numbers 0733780000 or 0724254448.”
Also in the list of their demands include that all police officers conducting the exercise have their service number pinned on their police uniform.
They also want the list of qualified candidates announced at the recruiting centre to avoid manipulation of the original list at a later stage.
“The national values and principles of professionalism, transparency and accountability in the Constitution, Article 10(2) must be promoted within the National Police Service from the very earliest stage of recruitment process,” Wakonyo stated.
“This process also includes the cardinal principle of public participation.”
The organisations have warned that those in the recruiting panels will be held individually accountable for any violation of the Constitution and any criminal act.
“The giving and receiving of bribes to facilitate preferential treatment is not only an abuse of the recruitment process but also a violation of human rights,” she cautioned.
The recruitment will be held in all 290 constituencies and will be monitored by the rights groups and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.
According to the regulations which have been approved by the House Committee on National Security and Administration, the recruitment of 10,000 officers will start at 8am to 5pm.
The National Youth Service Headquarters and CID Training Centre have also been listed as recruitment centres.
The parliamentary committee on Administration and National Security had singled out corruption and regional imbalance in the 2014 recruitment as among major irregularities during the exercise.
Special consideration has been given to Wajir South, Wajir North, Saku, Laisamis, Moyale, Turkana North and Isiolo North Constituencies, which have been granted two centres each, on account of the geographic expanse in respect of each of the constituencies.
Candidates must be Kenyan citizens with a Kenyan National ID, have a minimum qualifications of D+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination with a ‘D+’ (Plus) in either English or Kiswahili languages.
They should be physically and medically fit and should not have a criminal record or pending criminal charges.
Applicants should be aged between 18 and 28 years for holders of KCSE Examination Certificate or its equivalent, and up to 30 years for diploma and degree holders.
Female candidates must not be pregnant at recruitment and during the entire nine-month training period.
