Kenya national police recruitment exercise will proceed on Monday, November 17, 2025, after the High Court lifted a suspension that had stalled the nationwide process. Justice Bahati Mwamuye, ruling on Friday, November 14, restored the recruitment schedule, paving the way for thousands of hopeful applicants to join the National Police Service (NPS).
The suspension had been imposed on November 10 following a petition filed by activist Eliud Matindi, who argued that Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja lacked constitutional authority to independently conduct the recruitment. Matindi maintained that the mandate lay with the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
However, in his urgent appeal, IG Kanja warned that delaying the exercise posed a serious national security risk, noting that missed recruitment cycles, budget constraints, and natural attrition had left the service severely understaffed. The NPS also told the court that failure to proceed would disrupt training and deployment timelines ahead of the 2027 General Election, a period expected to demand heightened security.
Justice Mwamuye agreed that the petitioner had not demonstrated grounds sufficient to halt the nationwide exercise.
“The petitioner has not shown evidence of illegality to warrant stopping the recruitment. The National Police Service may therefore proceed unless otherwise directed,” the judge ruled.
Friday’s decision is the latest in a series of legal battles surrounding police hiring, coming just weeks after Justice Hellen Wasilwa of the Employment and Labour Relations Court affirmed that recruitment, training, and delegation of police duties fall squarely under the NPS, allowing the Inspector General to issue fresh dates.
As the recruitment resumes, prospective applicants must meet specific qualifications: Kenyan citizenship, age 18 to 28, a valid national ID, and a minimum KCSE grade of D+ with at least a D+ in English or Kiswahili.
Candidates must also meet strict physical and medical standards, including height requirements of 5ft 8in for men and 5ft 3in for women, while female applicants must not be pregnant during recruitment or training.
