Kenya’s National Police Service has successfully concluded its one-day nationwide recruitment of 10,000 police constables, with the exercise ending at 5 p.m. on Monday following a High Court ruling that lifted a previous suspension order.
The intensive recruitment drive, held simultaneously at 427 centres across the country, ran from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thousands of youth aged 18–28 with a minimum KCSE mean grade of D+ (plain) turned up hoping to secure one of the coveted positions, the largest single intake in recent years.
Turnout was uneven. In Baringo County, officials recorded notably low numbers, while several applicants were disqualified on the spot for failing to meet academic or age requirements. In Kisii and Nyamira counties, some former National Youth Service (NYS) trainees voiced disappointment after realizing their prior paramilitary experience did not grant them preferential treatment.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which deployed monitors nationwide, reported a largely peaceful process. “We recorded only one minor incident where a disqualified former NYS member caused a brief disturbance before being calmly removed,” IPOA said in a late-afternoon update.
The recruitment had been paused last month after a court challenge alleging procedural flaws. Monday’s High Court decision cleared the way for the exercise to proceed on condition of strict adherence to merit and transparency.
Police headquarters said final participation figures and preliminary outcomes will be released on Tuesday. Successful candidates are expected to begin training in early 2026, bolstering the service’s capacity amid ongoing calls for improved community policing and response to rising insecurity in parts of the country.
For thousands of Kenyan youth, the end of the recruitment day marked either the beginning of a new career in uniform or another reminder of the fierce competition for stable government jobs.
