NPSC, NPS clash again as police recruitment timeline hangs in balance

Efforts to unite the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) and the National Police Service (NPS) have once again failed, endangering the much-awaited recruitment of 10,000 police officers.

The two entities openly disagreed on who should conduct the recruitment and the mode to be used, despite a roadmap outlining timelines and milestones for the recruitment phase. The advertisement was scheduled to be published on September 11, with recruits expected to report to training colleges on November 17.

The Commission has insisted that the process should be conducted digitally, while the Police Service has maintained that it should be manual.

NPSC Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley cited challenges facing the Commission, saying it is currently grossly underfunded, having received only Ksh 75 million against a requirement of Ksh 395 million.

“Notably, the budget for recruitment was directly allocated to the NPS, a position that has been confirmed by the National Treasury vide the attached letter dated June 10, 2025. This budgetary shortfall and misallocation severely undermine the Commission's ability to independently and effectively discharge its recruitment mandate,” he said.

Inspector General Douglas Kanja sought to dispel any suggestion of a rift, insisting that the two entities will continue engaging to seek a lasting solution.

“First of all, let me assure the country that the NPS and NPSC work together. I also want to assure the public that very soon we are going to carry out the recruitment, as the chair of the Commission has indicated. Once we agree, we will release the dates and the roadmap for that,” he said.

“We have agreed as a Commission that the Chairman will brief the committee on matters of recruitment, after which the Ministry of Interior will also give an overall view. NPSC will then provide details on the current challenges in executing dual functions, including overlaps in policing and governance. Since we are going to discuss sensitive matters affecting national security, I would suggest that we do so off-camera,” he added.

According to Leley, the delegation of the recruitment and appointment mandate to the Inspector General under Section 10(2) of the National Police Service Commission Act, while well-intentioned, has presented significant challenges.

“In practice, this delegation has been prone to abuse, resulting in widespread malpractices and persistent irregularities in the recruitment process. The National Taskforce on the Improvement of Terms and Conditions of Service highlighted these concerns, noting that improper delegation amounted to abdication of the Commission's constitutional mandate,” he said.

NPSC Chairman Amani Komora, however, sought to strike a reconciliatory tone, urging both parties to resolve any pending issues amicably, noting that they are all serving the same public.