Inspector General Douglas Kanja has announced that the recruitment of 10,000 police constables will take place on November 17, 2025, as a one-day exercise at 427 centers nationwide. This follows the High Court's lifting of a suspension on the process. The event seeks to enlist young Kenyans to advance police reforms.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja issued a statement on November 14, 2025, confirming that the police recruitment will be a one-day exercise. The process will run from 8 am to 5 pm at 427 centers across the country.
According to the statement, “On 31st October 2025, the National Police Service (NPS) placed an advertisement in all the leading daily newspapers, announcing the recruitment of 10,000 suitably qualified youths to be trained as police constables.” It added: “The recruitment is confirmed to proceed as scheduled on Monday, 17th November 2025, from 8 am until 5 pm at all 427 recruitment centres across the country. It is a one-day exercise.”
This announcement came hours after High Court Justice Bahati Mwamuye lifted the suspension of the recruitment on November 10, 2025. The halt had stemmed from a petition by activist Eliud Matindi, who challenged the exercise announced by IG Kanja on November 4, arguing that the IG lacked constitutional authority to conduct it independently.
NPS described the drive as “a new dawn for Kenya” and an opportunity for young men and women to join a new cohort of officers advancing the positive reform agenda in the Service. Unlike military recruitment, which spans several days, the police process will last just one day, highlighting differences between the two forces.
Minimum requirements include being Kenyan citizens aged 18 to 28, holding a valid national ID, and having at least a D+ in KCSE with a D+ in English or Kiswahili. Candidates must be physically and medically fit, with minimum heights of 5ft 8in for males and 5ft 3in for females; female applicants must not be pregnant during recruitment or training. Those with felony records or pending charges are ineligible, while National Youth Service graduates meeting the criteria are encouraged to apply.
NPS warned against graft, stating that anyone indulging or attempting to indulge in bribery or corruption, as giver or taker, would face the full force of the law.