Police Recruitment to Prioritise Fairness After Past Malpractices, Says NPSC

The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has moved to assure Kenyans that the upcoming recruitment of police constables will break away from past controversies that have marred similar exercises.

NPSC Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley, appearing before the National Assembly Security Committee on Tuesday, said the Commission has taken deliberate steps to ensure the process is transparent, fair, and inclusive. He acknowledged that previous recruitment drives had been plagued by accusations of bribery, favouritism, and bias, but insisted this time would be different.

“We have independent observers to ensure compliance and avoid malpractices. We are also leveraging digital tools for applications, candidate verification to minimise human errors, and safeguards to ensure gender balance, regional equity, and ethnic diversity,” Leley said.

He added that the Commission will target underrepresented and marginalised communities, a move he said is meant to strengthen inclusivity and legitimacy within the police service. “The recruitment is in search of underrepresented and marginalised communities to promote inclusivity in a bid to strengthen the formula and strengthen legitimacy,” he explained.

Leley also disclosed that the Commission had incorporated input from key stakeholders, including the Interior Cabinet Secretary, into the allocation framework guiding the exercise.

The upcoming recruitment will see 10,000 police constables hired under the new guidelines. The NPSC maintains that the measures will help restore public confidence in the police service by ensuring equal opportunity and fairness.