The High Court has suspended the national police recruitment exercise that was set to begin on October 3, 2025, throwing the much-anticipated process into uncertainty.
Confirming the development, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said he was aware of the court order halting the exercise but expressed confidence that the issue would soon be resolved.
“I am aware that there was a legal process in court and one of the judges has given an order to stop the recruitment,” Murkomen stated while addressing a Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Nairobi.
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The Interior CS lamented the delay, noting that police recruitment has not been carried out in the past four years, a situation he says has compromised the country’s security preparedness.
“I wish I could be allowed to call the judge directly to understand the consequences of a court order to the recruitment of police officers that has never happened for the last four years. It is very critical for the safety of our country to recruit those officers urgently, not just for anything else but to secure our borders,” he said.
Murkomen explained that the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) urgently needs to fill vacancies left by officers who have either died, retired, or exited the service in recent years.
He stressed that fresh recruits are also needed to be trained in time to support security operations during the 2027 general election.
“There are many police officers who have retired, some have passed on, and we need to replace them. We also need energetic officers who can be trained in time to help us support the next election,” he noted.
Murkomen added that he hoped the judge would “apply reason” and lift the suspension so that the recruitment process can resume without further delays.
“I hope that the judge will watch my speech so that I don’t need to call her. I am confident the process will be opened very quickly so our country can recruit the officers it needs so badly,” he said.
The suspension comes amid growing concern over police staffing levels, with human rights groups and security analysts warning that a prolonged delay could strain national security operations.
More to follow…