The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is actively monitoring the nationwide police recruitment exercise on Monday, November 17, 2025, to ensure transparency, fairness, and adherence to the law.

The exercise comes as the National Police Service (NPS) prepares to recruit 10,000 constables across 427 centres, following the lifting of a court-imposed ban.

“The Authority is today monitoring the ongoing nationwide police recruitment exercise to ensure transparency, fairness, and adherence to the law,” IPOA X post dated November 17, 2025, reads.

IPOA’s real-time monitoring reflects its mandate to promote accountability and professionalism within Kenya’s police force. The authority plans to consolidate observations from recruitment centres into a comprehensive report that will highlight best practices, areas of concern, and recommendations aimed at strengthening professionalism in future recruitment exercises.

“IPOA will, afterwards, consolidate observations from the recruitment centres and issue a report highlighting best practices, areas of concern, and recommendations aimed at strengthening professionalism in future recruitment exercises.”

Court clearance and strategic importance

The path to Monday’s exercise was cleared by the High Court on November 14, 2025, which lifted conservatory orders that had suspended recruitment.

The interim orders, issued on November 10, stemmed from a petition by activist Eliud Matindi, who argued that Inspector General Douglas Kanja lacked constitutional authority to oversee recruitment, a role assigned to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).

IG Kanja, represented by State Counsel Christopher Marwa, successfully contested the suspension, citing a critical shortage of officers due to a three-year recruitment freeze and natural attrition.

“Due to the shortage of police officers as a result of a lack of recruitment for the past three years and natural attrition, there has been a rise in security challenges in the country,” Kanja stated.

During an inspection at Kiamariga Police Station in Nyeri County following a fire outbreak, Kanja emphasised the strategic importance of the recruitment ahead of the 2027 general election. “There is also a need to increase the number of police officers, noting the impending general election that is scheduled for August 2027, and elections in the country come with heavy security challenges, which require adequate police officers to manage,” he noted.