NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 2 – The National Police Service (NPS) has announced the indefinite suspension of the nationwide police recruitment exercise scheduled to begin on Friday, October 3, following a conservatory order issued by the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
In a statement released Thursday, NPS Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the Service was compelled to comply with the court’s directive issued in Petition No. E196 of 2025 (Harun Mwau v. Inspector General of Police, the National Police Service Commission & 2 Others).
“In accordance with the Order of the Employment and Labour Relations Court, issued on 2nd October 2025, the police recruitment exercise scheduled to commence on 3rd October 2025 has been postponed until further notice,” the statement read.
The suspension comes after Lady Justice Hellen Wasilwa granted interim conservatory orders halting the exercise, pending determination of a petition filed by former legislator John Harun Mwau.
The petition challenges the legality of the planned exercise, which sought to recruit 10,000 police officers between October 3 and 9 across all counties.
Justice Wasilwa directed the respondents—the Inspector General of Police and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC)—to file their responses within seven days, after which the petitioner will also have seven days to submit further affidavits and written arguments.
October 21 hearing
The judge slotted the matter for mention on October 21 to confirm compliance and highlight submissions.
The ruling came barely a day after Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and NPSC Chairperson Amani Yuda Komora jointly addressed officers at the National Police College, Embakasi ‘A’ Campus, underscoring the need for a transparent, credible, and merit-based recruitment process.
Kanja had urged officers involved in the exercise to reject corruption and embrace integrity, while Komora emphasized the critical need to strengthen the Service’s operational capacity in response to rising crime and security threats.
In Thursday’s statement, NPS assured that it remained committed to upholding the rule of law while actively exploring legal remedies to ensure the recruitment resumes at the earliest opportunity.
“As a Service, we remain committed to upholding the rule of law and complying with court orders,” Nyaga said.
With the case pending before the court, the fate of the 2025 police recruitment drive now hinges on the outcome of the October 21 proceedings.
