Agency: Step up hiring of police

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has raised concern on the continued overemphasis on physical fitness as the primary criteria in joining the police force.

The commission said the trend has not only disadvantaged women from joining the force but also disregarded academic qualifications.

This is despite emerging trends of cyber crimes - that KNCHR Chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori noted requires intelligence - and the two thirds gender rule that has to be adhered to in every aspect. Ms Mbogori was speaking yesterday when the commission unveiled a report on the just concluded police recruitment that was conducted in 292 centres in a bid to beef up the security force with 10,000 officers.

The monitoring exercise was done across 75 centres out of the 292.

The set grade for joining the force was set at D plus, among other medical and physical tests. “We are losing a lot through cyber crimes that target not only institutions but individuals. Such can be solved through heightened forensics which requires the expertise of scientists,” said Mbogori.

Regulations

According to the report, though there has been an improvement witnessed through reduction of corruption cases, the National Police Service (NPS) and National Police Service Commission (NPSC) are still disregarding critical sections of their own recruitment regulations.