The High Court has halted the anticipated recruitment of 10,000 police constables by the National Police Service (NPS).
In a ruling dated Monday, November 10, Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued a conservatory order halting the process pending the determination of a petition challenging the recruitment.
“Pending the inter partes hearing and determination of the petitioner’s application, a conservatory order is hereby issued suspending the Notice of Recruitment of Police Constables/Officers issued on November 4, 2025,” Justice Mwamuye ordered.
The ruling was delivered at the Milimani Law Courts following a petition by activist Eliud Matindi, who filed a constitutional application challenging the recruitment exercise announced by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja on November 4.
The National Police Service (NPS), through Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, confirmed that the recruitment will take place on November 17, 2025, across all sub-counties in the country.
However, according to conservatory orders issued today, no further recruitment, implementation, or facilitation of the recruitment of police constables should proceed until the matter is heard and determined.
Notably, the orders not only apply to the respondents, including the state, but also to any persons, bodies or agencies operating under the framework relating to the recruitment process.
In the ruling, Justice Mwamuye also ordered the petitioner to serve respondents and interested parties with the application, petition and court orders by November 12 and to file an affidavit of service.
The judge also issued a penal notice warning that any disobedience of the court's orders would attract penal consequences.
This is the latest setback in the recruitment process, coming just days after the Employment and Labour Relations Court ruled that the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has no constitutional authority to recruit police officers.
On October 30, Justice Hellen Wasilwa effectively handed the recruitment mandate to the National Police Service by stating that the power to recruit, train, assign, suspend, and dismiss police officers lies exclusively with the NPS and not any other external body.
Following the Labour court ruling, the NPS took over the recruitment process, announcing criteria for eligible applicants while maintaining that the process would be free, fair and transparent.
According to NPS, applicants must meet several minimum requirements, including being Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 28 years, holding a valid national ID, and having at least a D+ in KCSE with a minimum D+ in either English or Kiswahili.
Candidates are also required to be physically and medically fit, with a minimum height of 5 ft 8 in for males and 5 ft 3 in for females. Female applicants must not be pregnant during recruitment or training.
