The Senate has called for a detailed ethnic and county breakdown of the National Police Service (NPS) ahead of the suspended recruitment exercise for 10,000 police constables. The request was made by Senator Tom Ojienda before the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations on Wednesday.
Ojienda wants the committee to provide comprehensive data on the over 100,000 officers currently serving in the police, including their ethnic and regional distribution as of September 30, 2025. He also asked for information on how officers from different regions are represented across various cadres and ranks.
The senator emphasized that the recruitment and deployment processes must uphold the principles of fairness and inclusivity as outlined in the Constitution of Kenya. He further urged the committee to present the criteria, quotas, and methodology guiding the recruitment to ensure equal representation of all communities.
Ojienda’s concerns come at a time when the police recruitment process has been halted following a court order. The Employment and Labour Relations Court suspended the exercise scheduled to run from October 3 to 9 after a petition was filed by Harun Mwau challenging the legality of the process.
In a statement dated October 2, NPS announced the postponement, citing the court’s injunction in Petition No. E196 of 2025. The service, however, assured the public that it was pursuing legal remedies to resume the exercise as soon as possible.
Lady Justice Hellen Wasilwa directed the NPS Commission and the Inspector General to file their responses within seven days, while Mwau was asked to submit further affidavits and written submissions within the same timeframe.
The ongoing case has cast uncertainty over a recruitment process that has faced repeated delays and growing scrutiny over transparency and fairness.