Why planned police recruitment may face delay or revert to traditional process

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The highly anticipated police recruitment exercise, expected to take place this month or early August after a three-year delay, may face fresh setbacks, including a possible return to the manual recruitment process.

This comes amid ongoing engagements over the newly developed Online Police Recruitment System (PRS), which was introduced to digitise and streamline the entire recruitment process, from application to appointment.

A technical committee from the National Police Service Commission, led by CEO Peter Leley, made a detailed presentation of the new digital system to key officials from the office of Head of Public Service.

The presentation covered all critical stages of the online process, including application submission, shortlisting, assessments, final selection, and appointments.

It also included the formula for allocation of recruitment slots across centers and the legal framework backing the system.

The team, led by Head of the President’s Priority Initiatives Leah Kasera and Director of Smart Government Gilbert Matura, welcomed the system as a timely innovation.

However, they called for further consultations and improvement forums aimed at enhancing its overall efficiency and reliability.

"The team recommended the convening of additional forums to review the system with an aim of enhancing its overall efficiency and effectiveness," reads a statement from the commission.

Their recommendations now raise the possibility that unless the system is deemed fully ready and foolproof in the coming days, the government may opt to revert to the traditional manual recruitment process to avoid delays in the urgent hiring of 10,000 new police officers.

The NPSC first announced plans to go digital in May this year.

While appearing before the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration, Leley explained that candidates will be required to submit their applications via the NPSC portal by following the guidelines provided online.

Shortlisted applicants, he said, will subsequently be invited to attend the physical recruitment stage.

"The new system that we have developed has largely removed human interaction and automated major parts so that integrity can be enhanced,” said Leley.

Commission's acting chairman Edwin Cheluget said the online transition aims to reduce human interaction and improve efficiency in the service delivery.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja welcomed the move, noting the goal is to eliminate the widespread bribery.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen recently announced that the recruitment would happen this July or early August, with recruits expected to graduate mid-2026.

The exercise is part of a wider plan to bolster national security by increasing the number of police officers, especially in underserved areas.

Whether the digital shift will hold or be shelved temporarily remains to be seen as further reviews continue.

Addressing the press on June 16, Murkomen acknowledged the urgent need for comprehensive reforms, noting that the upcoming recruitment drive is a critical step toward aligning the police service with modern standards.