Kenya police recruitment of 10,000 officers set for April 4

An Administration officer checks on the fitness of one of the recruits at 64 stadium in Eldoret for Soy recruit centre. [Photo: SILAH KOSKEI/STANDARD]

NAIROBI: The national recruitment for police constables will be conducted on April 4.

The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) said a recruitment team has been picked and asked the public not to fall prey to anyone asking for bribes.

And the commission has announced all the new 10,000 recruits will be bonded to work for 10 years. This is aimed at deterring the new team from leaving the service after graduating.

"It is expensive to train an officer. It is a loss to us when one leaves after graduating, hence the bonding," said NPSC chairman Johnston Kavuludi.

The commission met yesterday and announced that those seeking to offer observer missions for the exercise will have to be accredited by the Inspector General of Police.

"It will be conducted in 331 recruitment centres spread out in all the 290 constituencies across the country," said Kavuludi.

Commissioners Mary Owuor, Ronald Musengi, Joseph Boinnet, Samuel Arachi, Mohamed Murshid, Ndegwa Muhoro and Joel Kitili were present during the announcement.

The new team will join the Administration Police and Kenya Police which form the National Police Service.

Kavuludi insisted the recruitment will be done on the same day between 8am and 5pm.

There has been confusion on whether the commission should use the new regulations gazetted last year in accordance with the High Court and Court of Appeal ruling or revert to the old recruitment system which could expose it to litigations.

Kavuludi said the commission had gazetted rules to be used during the recruitment exercise.

On March 1, President Uhuru Kenyatta called for the immediate recruitment of 10,000 police officers to boost security in the country.

The recruits will graduate before March next year, and this would push the police population to 98,000. They will trained on various issues including human rights and law.