The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has announced plans to recruit 25,000 new police officers over the next five years.
This announcement was made during a session with the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and Internal Security on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. NPSC Chairperson Eliud Kinuthia emphasized the urgency of this recruitment drive, citing financial constraints that have hindered efforts over the past two years.
Kinuthia highlighted that over 10,000 police officers have left the force due to natural attrition, deployment, and retirement, with the last major recruitment effort occurring in March 2022. This underscores the critical need for new officers to maintain the country’s security infrastructure.
During the session, Kinuthia urged the Parliamentary Committee to reconsider proposed budget cuts in the security sector. He stressed the importance of adequate funding for the effective execution of the Commission’s mandate. “The Commission, led by Chair Eliud Kinuthia, CBS, called on the Committee to reconsider its budget cuts to enable efficient execution of its mandate,” a statement from the NPSC read.
Committee Chair Gabriel Togoyo acknowledged the pivotal role of the security sector and pledged to review the budget cuts amidst government austerity measures. He recognized the essential need for sufficient funding to safeguard the country’s stability and security.
The budget estimates for the 2024/25 financial year allocated KES 377.5 billion to National Security. Despite this substantial allocation, the NPSC stressed the need for continued financial support to ensure that recruitment and other essential security functions are not compromised.