The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has unveiled ambitious plans to bolster its ranks by recruiting 25,000 new police officers over the next five years. This announcement came during a session on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, where the NPSC briefed the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and Internal Security.
Eliud Kinuthia, Chairperson of the Commission, acknowledged that financial constraints had hampered recruitment efforts over the past two years. He emphasized the Commission’s commitment to overcoming these challenges to meet their staffing goals.
Kinuthia also highlighted that more than 10,000 police officers have left the force due to natural attrition, deployment, and retirement. The last nationwide recruitment for police officers occurred in March 2022.
The Commission urged the Parliamentary Committee to reconsider proposed budget cuts in the security sector, emphasizing the critical need for sufficient funding to effectively fulfill their mandate. Kinuthia stressed to the MPs the essential role of the security sector in safeguarding the country’s stability and security.
“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 shared by the National Police Service Commission read in part.
Committee Chair Gabriel Togoyo acknowledged the security sector’s pivotal role and pledged to review the budget amidst government austerity measures.
In the budget estimates for the 2024/25 financial year, the National Treasury allocated a total of Kes. 377.5 billion to National Security.
Breakdown:
- Defence received Kes. 173 billion,
- National Police Service received Kes. 110.6 billion,
- National Intelligence Service received Kes. 46.3 billion,
- Kenya Prisons received Kes. 32.7 billion.
- Additionally, Kes. 13.9 billion was allocated for leasing police vehicles and Kes. 918.4 million for developing the National Forensic Laboratory.
