The National Police Service has promoted 738 police officers to various ranks, according to a statement from the National Police Service Commission.
In their statement, the commission said the officers are drawn from the Kenya Police Service, the Administration Police Service, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
NPSC has promoted 14 officers to the Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police (SAIG) position and 51 officers to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).
135 other police officers have been bumped up to the Commissioner of Police (CP) post, while 277 officers are now moving to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).
Another 261 officers have been promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP). The commission also upgraded 50 civilian staff of the National Police Service (NPS) across various cadres.
According to the commission, the promotions were made following recommendations from the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja.
“The Inspector General assured the Commission that the process was competitive, transparent, and had considered regional, ethnicity, and gender balance in arriving at the preferred candidates in accordance with Articles 10 and 232 on National Values and Principles of Governance and Public Service,” said the NPSC.
Under the law, the NPSC promotes officers based on performance appraisals, while certain promotions require specific academic qualifications. For example, officers seeking higher ranks may need to have completed relevant training courses or possess particular educational credentials.
An officer’s disciplinary record is also a key factor considered during promotions.
In October last year, the NPSC conducted interviews for 183 officers who had completed training, aiming to promote them to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police.
The commission later announced the promotions of Promotion Boards II and III in January, inviting eligible officers to apply.
Last month, the NPSC informed Members of Parliament that it plans to recruit 10,000 new police officers, comprising 8,000 constables and 2,000 cadets.
The exercise was scheduled for this month, March, but it is unclear whether it will still be conducted.
