Police Recruitment Suspended After Petition Filed By Harun Mwau

Plans to recruit 10,000 officers halted a day before exercise was set to begin

The much-anticipated recruitment of 10,000 police officers has been suspended following a court order issued just hours before the exercise was due to commence on Friday.

Lady Justice Hellen Wasilwa of the Employment and Labour Relations Court on Thursday issued an interim conservatory order halting the nationwide recruitment process pending the determination of a petition filed by former Kilome MP John Harun Mwau.

The ruling in Petition No. E196 of 2025 names the Inspector General of Police, the National Police Service Commission and two other parties as respondents.

In a statement issued Thursday evening, the National Police Service confirmed the postponement, stating it would comply with the court directive. “In accordance with the Order of the Employment and Labour Relations Court, issued on 2nd October 2025, the police recruitment exercise scheduled to commence on 3rd October 2025 has been postponed until further notice,” the service said.

The court documents reveal that the interim order stays the entire recruitment process until the petition is fully resolved. Justice Wasilwa directed the Inspector General and the NPSC to file their responses within seven days, with the petitioner granted a similar period to file further affidavits and submissions.

The matter is set for mention on October 21, 2025, when the court will confirm compliance and address submissions from the parties involved. The specific grounds of Mwau’s petition have not been disclosed.

The suspension comes as a significant setback to a recruitment drive that had already attracted considerable public interest. The exercise, scheduled to run from October 3 to 9, was targeting Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 28 years with a minimum academic qualification of a D+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.

The recruitment process has been mired in controversy in recent weeks, with tensions emerging between the National Police Service Commission and the National Police Service over the application procedure. The commission had initially proposed a new model requiring applicants to submit applications and undergo shortlisting before attending physical vetting exercises. However, this proposal was ultimately dropped, allowing all interested candidates to present themselves on recruitment day with duly filled forms.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen acknowledged awareness of the court order but expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved expeditiously. “I am aware of the court orders suspending the recruitment exercise but I am confident that the issue will be resolved,” Murkomen said.

The National Police Service and the NPSC have indicated they are exploring legal remedies to resolve the impasse and resume the recruitment process. “The National Police Service, in conjunction with the National Police Service Commission, is actively pursuing appropriate legal remedies to ensure the recruitment exercise can resume at the earliest opportunity,” the statement added.

The police service emphasized its commitment to upholding the rule of law and respecting judicial processes despite the setback.

The recruitment drive has been under scrutiny from civil society organizations and political leaders who have raised concerns about transparency, regional balance and adequate funding for the exercise. The suspension now adds another layer of uncertainty to an already contentious process.

Thousands of young Kenyans who had prepared to attend the recruitment exercise across the country now face an indefinite wait as the legal process unfolds.