Aasai

Efforts to merge the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) and the National Police Service (NPS) have failed once again, jeopardizing the much-awaited recruitment of 10,000 police officers. 

The two agencies differed widely on who should be recruited and the method to be used, despite a roadmap outlining the timing and milestones of the recruitment phase. The advertisement was scheduled to be published on September 11, with recruits expected to report to training colleges on November 17. 

The commission has insisted that the exercise should be conducted digitally, while the Police Service maintains that it should be carried out manually. NPSC Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley outlined the challenges facing the commission, saying it is currently underfunded, having only received Ksh. 9.75 million of the Ksh. 75 million budget request against No.

 The recruitment was directly awarded to the NPS, a position that has been confirmed by the National Treasury through the attached letter dated June 10, 2025. This budget shortfall and misallocation seriously undermine the Commission’s ability to discharge its recruitment functions independently and effectively,” he said. Inspector General Douglas Kanja sought to dispel any suggestion of a rift, stressing that the two agencies would continue to tussle to find a lasting solution. “First of all, let me assure the country that the NPS and NPSC are working together. 

I also want to assure the public that we will soon be conducting the recruitment, as the chairman of the Commission has said. If we agree, we will provide a date and a roadmap for that,” he said. “We have agreed as a Commission that the Chairman will brief the committee on the recruitment issues, after which the Ministry of Home Affairs will also provide a general comment. 

The NPSC will provide detailed information on the challenges that exist in the implementation of the two functions, including the interaction between the police and the administration. Since we will be discussing sensitive issues concerning national security, I would suggest that we do so off-camera,” he said. and the appointment powers of the Inspector General under Section 10(2) of the National Police Service Commission Act, while well-intentioned, have posed significant challenges. “In practice, this mandate has been subject to abuse, resulting in gross irregularities and ongoing irregularities in the recruitment process. 

The National Task Force on the Improvement of Service Rules and Regulations highlighted these concerns, and found that the improper representation amounted to the abrogation of the Commission’s constitutional mandate,” he said. NPSC Chairman Amani Komora, however, sought to strike a conciliatory tone, urging both parties to resolve any outstanding issues amicably, noting that they all serve the same public.