High Court Lifts Suspension as National Police Recruitment Set to Proceed on Monday
Kenya’s long-delayed national police recruitment exercise will proceed as scheduled on Monday, November 17, after the High Court on Friday lifted its earlier suspension of the process, clearing the way for thousands of hopeful applicants to report to designated centres across the country.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Bahati Mwamuye, who had on November 10 issued a conservatory order temporarily halting the exercise. The suspension followed a petition filed by activist Eliud Matindi, who argued that the recruitment announced by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja was unconstitutional.
Matindi claimed that the Inspector General lacked the authority to unilaterally conduct the recruitment exercise without the involvement of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC). His challenge stalled the process for days, prompting concerns within the security sector.
However, Justice Mwamuye’s latest decision effectively clears the impasse, allowing the National Police Service (NPS) to proceed with the exercise as planned.
Speaking shortly after the ruling, an evidently relieved IG Kanja welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as critical to broader reforms within the service.
“The recruitment now goes on. I want to encourage young men and women to troop in their numbers,” the IG told reporters.
“I also want to assure them that they will get the best from the republic. We are not only giving jobs to them but also building a reformist team.”
His remarks followed an urgent appeal made on Thursday, in which the IG warned that any further delay posed a national security risk, especially with preparations underway for the 2027 General Election. Kanja argued that postponing the process would deny him sufficient time to train and deploy new officers before the election period, which typically requires increased staffing levels.
The recruitment exercise has been embroiled in legal battles for nearly a month. In October, the Employment and Labour Relations Court nullified an earlier recruitment plan, ruling that the NPSC lacked the authority to preside over the exercise. In a judgment delivered on October 30, Justice Hellen Wasilwa held that recruitment, training, and delegation of duties fall squarely under the mandate of the National Police Service itself — a decision that paved the way for IG Kanja to issue fresh recruitment dates.
With the new ruling now in place, the police service is expected to receive a significant boost in personnel numbers after several stalled recruitment cycles linked to budget constraints left the service operating below recommended staffing thresholds.
According to the NPS, applicants taking part in Monday’s exercise must meet several eligibility requirements. These include being Kenyan citizens aged 18 to 28, holding a valid national ID card, and having a minimum KCSE grade of D+, including at least a D+ in English or Kiswahili. Candidates must also be physically and medically fit, with male applicants required to be at least 5ft 8in tall and female applicants 5ft 3in. Women must not be pregnant at the time of recruitment or during training.
The High Court’s decision is expected to ease pressure on security preparations ahead of the 2027 polls, marking a decisive win for the Inspector General in his push to stabilise staffing within the service.
High Court Lifts Suspension as National Police Recruitment Set to Proceed on Monday