The government will be hiring 10,000 new police officers this year, with plans to introduce annual hiring after a three-year hiatus.
According to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the government will be recruiting 10,000 new officers within the next two months, a move that confirms the long-awaited recruitment.
Speaking during the National Police Service Development Partners Roundtable at Kenya School of Government in Kabete, Nairobi, on Wednesday, Murkomen said the recruitment will take place in the next financial year, 2025-2026.
This means the recruitment could come as soon as July.
“We are conscious of the fact that in the last 3 to 4 years, we have not been able to hire or recruit new police officers, and that has put a big strain on most of the police stations,” he said.
Adding, “I am glad to announce that in the next financial year and in a process that will begin from this financial year in a month or two, we shall be going out to recruit another 10,000 police officers to make sure that the police service is resourced.”
The recruitment exercise was first announced last year by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who announced plans to recruit approximately 5,000 police officers in March 2025.
However, the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) told Members of Parliament that the recruitment would be raised to 10,000 while seeking more funding.
To be eligible for recruitment into the Kenya Police Service, applicants must be Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 28 years and hold a valid national identity card. They should have achieved a minimum grade of D+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), with at least a D+ in either English or Kiswahili.
Candidates are required to be physically, mentally, and medically fit, with no criminal record or pending charges. Additionally, they must meet the integrity standards outlined in Chapter Six of the Kenyan Constitution.
Female applicants should note that pregnancy during recruitment and throughout the training period is not permitted.
Prospective candidates are advised to obtain and complete the prescribed application form, available from Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) offices, police stations, Sub-County Administration Police Commander’s (SUBCOM) offices, or County Commissioner’s offices.
