The National Police Service (NPS) has set out rules for the recruitment of 10,000 police constables, scheduled for Monday, November 17, 2025. In a statement released on Friday, the service encouraged eligible young Kenyans to take part, noting that the exercise will run from 8 am to 5 pm across all 427 recruitment centres nationwide.
The Service emphasized that this will be a one-day exercise and highlighted the important role the new officers will play in supporting ongoing reforms.
“This is not just a chance to get a job; rather, 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,” the statement said.
The NPS also issued a stern warning against corruption, promising firm action against anyone attempting to bribe or accept bribes.
“We wish to state categorically and emphatically that anyone who indulges, or attempts to indulge, in bribery or corruption in any form, whether as a giver or a taker, will face the full force of the law,” the statement added.
This recruitment follows a High Court decision lifting interim orders that had temporarily halted the exercise. Justice Bahati Mwamuye on Friday stayed the orders issued on November 10, 2025, after a petition by London-based activist Eliud Matindi, who had questioned the Inspector General’s authority to conduct the recruitment, arguing that the power belongs to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
In response, IG Douglas Kanja, through State Counsel Christopher Marwa, explained that the country has faced a shortage of police officers due to natural attrition and no recruitment in the past three years. He further highlighted the importance of increasing police numbers to strengthen security ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Due to the shortage of police officers as a result of the lack of recruitment of police officers for the past three years and natural attrition, there has been a rise in security challenges in the country,” IG Kanja stated.
Justice Mwamuye allowed the recruitment to continue while the IG’s application is being heard.
“That pending the inter partes hearing and determination of the IG notice of motion application dated November 13, 2025, the conservatory orders issued on November 10, 2025, in this matter are stayed, and the obtaining status quo ante in place immediately before their issuance shall apply in the interim,” the judge ruled.
Case management is set for November 17, coinciding with the recruitment exercise.
