NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 15 — The National Police Service (NPS) has called on qualified Kenyan youth to participate in the long-awaited nationwide police recruitment scheduled for Monday, following a High Court ruling that lifted earlier conservatory orders suspending the exercise.
In a statement on Friday, NPS Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga confirmed the service will proceed with the recruitment of 10,000 police constables across 427 centres nationwide from 8am to 5pm, with the entire exercise conducted in a single day.
Nyaga described the recruitment as more than just an employment opportunity.
“This is not just a chance to get a job; it is a new dawn for Kenya. The successful young men and women will form a new cohort of officers expected to drive the positive and reformist agenda currently underway in the Service,” he said.
He also emphasized the Service’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, urging applicants to avoid any form of bribery.
“Anyone who indulges, or attempts to indulge, in bribery or corruption, whether as a giver or a taker, will face the full force of the law,” Nyaga stated.
The announcement follows a ruling by High Court Judge Bahati Mwamuye, who rescinded conservatory orders issued earlier in the week, allowing Monday’s recruitment to proceed.
Critically understaffed
The judge, in directions issued on Friday, instructed parties to exchange the latest filings ahead of a case management session on November 17 and issued a penal notice warning against disobedience.
The urgent application to lift the suspension was filed by Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, who argued that a three-year recruitment freeze had left the Service critically understaffed, posing security risks with just 21 months to the 2027 General Election.
Kanja told the court that delaying recruitment would hinder training and deployment of officers to meet evolving security challenges.
He also accused petitioner Eliud Matindi of material non-disclosure, noting that Matindi had failed to inform the court of an October 30 Employment and Labour Relations Court ruling vesting recruitment authority in the IG, not the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
The Labour Court affirmed the IG’s operational independence under Article 245(4)(c) of the Constitution.
A related dispute remains before the Court of Appeal, where NPSC and the Law Society of Kenya are challenging the Labour Court ruling.
Kanja argued that the High Court should have deferred to the appellate process, terming Matindi’s petition sub judice.
Before Friday’s ruling, the suspended orders were set to remain in effect until January 22, 2026.
