The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has confirmed its readiness to begin the recruitment of 10,000 police officers, even as it faces resource constraints.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Administration and Internal Security, NPSC Chairperson Dr. Amani Komora assured MPs that the Commission was prepared.

“We have had a series of meetings as commissioners and, taking into account the deficit of resources, we are still ready for the recruitment process,” said Dr. Komora.

NPSC CEO Peter Leley said the exercise will be guided by transparency, fairness, inclusivity, and accountability. He announced that the Commission will, for the first time, use a new Police Recruitment System (PRS), a digital platform designed to enhance efficiency and reduce human interference.

“The PRS guarantees integrity by minimizing human interference and generating a verifiable digital trail throughout the recruitment process,” Leley explained.

However, some MPs raised concerns about the system’s accessibility in marginalized areas with poor internet coverage.

Leley assured the committee that the Commission was creating awareness through national and local media and that recruitment camps would be set up in marginalized regions to ensure no one is locked out. He also confirmed that this would be the first time the digital system is used in recruiting members of national security organs.

Committee Chairperson Gabriel Tongoyo urged caution, saying innovation must be carefully planned. “Unless a pilot test is done and approved, the Commission should consider sticking to manual recruitment,” he advised.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who attended the session alongside his deputies and the DCI Director, explained that the Constitution mandates national security organs — including the Police Service — to recruit and train their own members. He cited Article 238 (2), which requires recruitment to reflect Kenya’s diversity in equitable proportions.

Kanja further called for a review of laws governing the NPSC and NPS to remove contradictions and avoid conflicts between the two bodies.

“There is need to audit the NPS and NPSC Acts to identify sections that contradict the Constitution, with a view to proposing necessary amendments,” he said.

The committee advised the Commission to proceed with collaboration between the two institutions and to consider using the manual system for the current recruitment while deferring the new digital system for future exercises.