Recruitment of police officers starts on Monday
What you need to know:
- The recruitment, which has prompted controversy since the High Court annulled the 2014 exercise citing several irregularities will, according to the National Police Service Commission Chairman Johnstone Kavuludi, leave no room for nepotism and corruption.
- Unlike last year where the District Recruitment Committee was chaired by the District Commissioner, tomorrow’s exercise will be led by senior police officers who have been vetted by the NPSC.
- Through their lawyer, Mr Amos Magut the youth, who had been recruited last year before the court nullified the exercise, claimed that the decision to repeat the recruitment while an appeal case was pending in the Court of Appeal was illegal.
A fresh police recruitment that will be guided by strict regulations gazetted on Friday is set to kick off on Monday across the country.
The recruitment, which has prompted controversy since the High Court annulled the 2014 exercise citing several irregularities will, according to the National Police Service Commission Chairman Johnstone Kavuludi, leave no room for nepotism and corruption.
During the exercise, which the commission has fully delegated to the Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet, senior officers in the ranks of Senior Superintendent of Police and above will be moved from their areas of jurisdictions to conduct the exercise in different posts.
“The senior officers have been selected but they have not been informed. They will be given their letters on the day of recruitment and taken to the posts for the exercise,” Mr Kavuludi said, adding that the decision was taken so as to ensure that the officers conduct the exercise without favour or prejudice.
Mr Boinnet will, according to the set rules, be held accountable for the recruitment and shall be guided by the policies and regulations set by the NPSC.
Aside from the doctors that will carry out the medical fitness examinations on the candidates, the exercise will be carried out by the officers exclusively selected by the Inspector-General of Police.
Unlike last year where the District Recruitment Committee was chaired by the District Commissioner, tomorrow’s exercise will be led by senior police officers who have been vetted by the NPSC.
Mr Kavuludi said the exercise will give room for increased public participation, where the public will monitor the process and give reports to the commission for action, in cases where nepotism, favouritism and bribing are suspected.
“All registered candidates will be scrutinised and analysed on the day of recruitment and they are required to have their original identity cards and academic documents with them,” Mr Kavuludi said.
The National Police Service Commission had earlier, as required by subsidiary legislation, advertised the vacant positions for recruitment.
The regulations further direct that the recruitment should reflect the diversity of the Kenyan people in equitable proportions.
Mr Kavuludi warned that anyone soliciting or offering money or other services in order to be considered shall attract penalties and will be referred to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Director of Public Prosecutions for prosecution.
The commission seeks to recruit 6,000 for the Kenya police service and 4,000 for the administration police service.
The High Court on Friday declined to grant an application by 100 youths to stop tomorrow’s recruitment.
Through their lawyer, Mr Amos Magut the youth, who had been recruited last year before the court nullified the exercise, claimed that the decision to repeat the recruitment while an appeal case was pending in the Court of Appeal was illegal.
But Justice Weldon Korir declined to issue any temporary orders and only certified the matter as urgent and set the hearing for tomorrow at 9 a.m.
