Contribution from Josphat Kinyua (Nyeri), Rosemary Onchari (Kisii)
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 22 – Thousands of youth interested to join the National Police Service (NPS) turn up for the national recruitment held Monday to battle it out for the available 5,000 slots.
The recruitment was held in centres countrywide in all the 47 counties under strict COVID-19 regulations.
Our Correspondents in Kisii, Kisumu, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kajiado and other counties said there were no major hitches
In Kibra Sub-County, Nairobi Chairperson of the recruitment panel Mwenze Mbai said the exercise was smooth and without any irregularities recorded.
“The recruitment was successful, we had a lot of cooperation from the public and the successful candidates were recruited,” said Charles Owino, National Police Spokesman.
The successful candidates will join the Administration Police Service and the General Service Unit, after undergoing a mandatory 9-month training.
“We already told them that the exercise is free and fair and corruption free. We did not have any incident,” he said.
Most of the parents who accompanied their children were equally impressed by the strenuous exercise but raised concerns over the number of female candidates being selected compared to their male counterparts.
“Like here in Kibra, they only want one girl, is it really fair? Kibra itself has a high population,” Laban Ogega, who had accompanied his daughter said.
At Ruringu Stadium in Nyeri, Robert Sang who supervised the exercise said more than 100-youth reported for the exercise with no hitches reported.
Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai had earlier warned against bribery and any form of canvassig, during the recruitment of police.
He said the National Police Service (NPS) was working with various stakeholders to ensure a successful recruitment.
Responding to concerns on Twitter through his weekly interactive sessions, Mutyambai said action will be taken on anyone offering or receiving bribes.
“Every recruitment is open, free, and fair to all. However, sometimes there may be more of either gender based on the strict qualification criteria per cluster. This is not meant to discriminate against any gender,” the IG said.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority was observing the exercise across the country,.