President William Ruto has announced that 10,000 new police officers will be recruited next month, ending a three-year hiring freeze.
Speaking Thursday at the National Youth Service (NYS) pass-out parade in Gilgil, the President revealed that 4,000 of the positions will be reserved exclusively for NYS graduates.
Ruto said the move is designed to absorb disciplined, skilled youth produced by the NYS and ensure they get opportunities to serve the country.
“I have instructed the Ministry of Interior that out of the 10,000 officers to be recruited, 4,000 will be allocated to NYS. This should be done in the upcoming recruitment next month,” he said.
The President further pledged to prioritize NYS graduates in other disciplined services, including the Kenya Defense Forces, and in the government’s affordable housing projects.
To support the growing number of recruits, Ruto promised to oversee the construction of a new kitchen at the Gilgil campus and directed improvements of other facilities. He also ordered the Ministry of Public Service and the National Treasury to expand NYS resources and capacity.
A record 18,000 recruits graduated from the service during the pass-out parade, the highest ever in a single cohort.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja recently told the Senate that the upcoming recruitment will be conducted online to eliminate fraud. Candidates will apply digitally, and only shortlisted applicants will be invited for physical assessment.
