How budget cut threatens recruitment of 10,000 police officers - Report

A past police recruitment exercise./FILE

A plan by the National Police Service (NPS) to recruit 10,000 new police constables hangs in the balance following a budget cut of Sh320 million, a parliamentary report has revealed.

The Committee on Administration and Internal Security, chaired by Gabriel Tongoyo, flagged the reduction in funding as a major setback.

The committee’s review of the 2025/2026 Budget Estimates shows the recruitment budget was slashed from Sh3.22 billion to Sh2.90 billion, potentially stalling a recruitment drive aimed at addressing Kenya’s growing security demands.

“The proposed reduction in recruitment budget... will negatively impact the expected recruitment of the 10,000 constables,” the committee stated in its report.

The move comes as the country grapples with a shrinking police force and rising insecurity in some regions.

The committee's report also highlighted a concerning dip in police numbers, noting a net loss of 5,000 officers since the last recruitment round in 2022.

Currently, Kenya’s Police to Population Ratio stands at 1:509—below the United Nations-recommended standard of 1:450—raising concerns about the effectiveness of law enforcement in the country.

Despite the recruitment setback, the overall budget for the National Police Service has increased.

The proposed allocation for the 2025/2026 financial year is Sh125.29 billion, up from Sh118.42 billion in the previous year—a net increase of Sh6.87 billion. This includes an increase of Sh7.69 billion in the recurrent budget and a reduction of Sh821.4 million in the development budget.

However, critical areas of police operations have faced cuts of more than Sh1.2 billion. These include mobility, training, fuel, routine maintenance, and specialized equipment—sectors considered essential to police effectiveness.

The budget cut comes just weeks after Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen announced plans to bolster the force with 10,000 new recruits.

Speaking during a town hall meeting in Kilifi in April, Murkomen emphasized the need to deploy more officers in regions plagued by insecurity and officer shortages.

“On the part of the number of police officers, we are planning to recruit 10,000 police officers in the next two to three months to allocate police stations with enough officers,” Murkomen said.