State seeks to recruit 10,000 police officers

The government will this year recruit at least 10,000 police officers, Interior Principal Secretary PS Raymond Omollo has said.

He said the national assembly allocated a budget for 5,000 police recruits, but the ministry will engage MPs to increase it to enable the government to double the number of recruits.

“We are trying to plead with MPs. We will work with government officials and elected leaders so that more young people are recruited to the police service,” PS Omollo said.

The government has not conducted police recruitment for the last three years despite increased security challenges and the deployment of Kenyan officers to conflict-torn countries like Haiti.

Kenya has not met the globally recommended police-to-population ratio of 1:450 as data from the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) estimated a ratio of 1: 688 in 2021.

Speaking at Miruya area in Uriri Sub-County, Migori County, PS Omollo vowed to have a fully equipped police station with police officers established.

“We will bring services closer to the people,” he said.

Migori Senator Eddy Oketch said the establishment of a police station would be a game changer for the people of the Miruya area.

“This is what you have been dreaming of,” Oketch told Miruya residents, highlighting that land meant for the construction of the police station had already been availed.

According to the Senator, they owed nobody an apology for being in the broad-based government.

Furthermore, the PS encouraged more Kenyans to enroll in Taifa Care, whose registration is ongoing, adding that the government had streamlined its programs, including Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and employed more teachers.

Mogotio MP Reuben Kiborek echoed Omollo’s sentiments, saying that Kenyans needed to embrace the spirit of togetherness.

“That is the spirit of Kenya. We must make it viable,” Mr. Koborek said.

He asked Kenyans to support the Kenya Kwanza government and allow President William Ruto to deliver.

Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko emphasised the need to support the government, saying that they all had good intentions for Kenyans. “We need to work together as a people,” he said.