The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has revealed plans to recruit a total number of 25,000 police officers.
NPSC in a statement on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, announced the plans while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and Internal Security to defend its supplementary estimates.
Led by its Chairperson Eliud Kinuthia, the Commission told the Parliamentary Committee that the said officers are set to be recruited in a five-year period.
“During the presentation, the chair revealed that the Commission intends to recruit over 25,000 police officers for a period of five years adding that inadequate funds have hindered the recruitment process for the last two years,” read part of the statement.
NPSC highlighted that financial constraints have slowed down the recruitment process for the last two years.
NPSC on Police Recruitment
Kinuthia further informed the Parliamentary Committee that so far over 10,000 police officers have left the service through natural attrition, deployment and retirement among other causes.
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Kinuthia told the MPs that the sector needs proper funding to enable it to execute its mandate, thus calling on the committee to reconsider the proposed budget cuts in the security docket.
“The Commission led by the Chair Eliud Kinuthia, CBS called on the Committee to reconsider its budget cut move to enable the Commission to execute its mandate efficiently,” the statement added.
On his part, the Committee Chair and Narok West Member of Parliament (MP) Gabriel Togoyo underscored the critical role played by the security sector in the Country.
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He pledged to review the budget even as the Government undertakes austerity measures.
The last nationwide recruitment for police officers notably occurred in March 2022.
Budget Allocation for National Security
In the budget estimates for the 2024/25 financial year, former Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) Njuguna Ndung’u announced a Ksh377.5 billion allocation to the National Security.
Of these, National Police Service was allocated Ksh110.6 billion, Defence Ksh173 billion, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Ksh46.3 billion and Kenya Prisons Ksh32.7 billion.
Further, Ksh918.4 million was allocated for developing National Forensic Laboratory and Ksh13.9 billion for leasing of police vehicles.
This was an increase by almost Ksh40 billion as compared to the 2023-2024 budget.
In his first budget of 2023-2024, former CS Ndung’u had allocated security sector a total of Ksh338. 2 billion.
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