Police Service Commission assures transparency in upcoming recruitment

The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has assured Kenyans that the upcoming police recruitment exercise will be transparent, inclusive, and free from malpractice.

Appearing before the National Assembly Security Committee on Tuesday, NPSC Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley said measures have been put in place to guarantee fairness, including the use of independent observers and digital tools.

“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 recruitment will also target underrepresented and marginalised communities in line with affirmative action policies.

“The recruitment is in search of underrepresented and marginalised communities to promote inclusivity in a bid to strengthen the formula and strengthen legitimacy,” he told MPs.

Leley said the commission had engaged key stakeholders, including the Interior Cabinet Secretary, whose input has been factored into the allocation framework for the exercise.

NPSC seeks to recruit 10,000 police constables under new regulations designed to promote transparency after past exercises were marred by complaints of bribery, favouritism, and bias.

For the first time, the exercise will be conducted entirely online, with applicants required to submit their details virtually.

Out of the 10,000 slots, 4,000 have been reserved for National Youth Service (NYS) graduates.