Charles Owino: Police have always recruited very educated people
By Nancy Marende, October 7, 2025Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has defended the National Police Service against claims that it recruits unqualified officers, saying the service has always attracted well-educated individuals.
Speaking at a local TV station on Monday, October 6, 2025, Owino said the police recruitment process is competitive and targets capable candidates from diverse educational backgrounds.
“The police have always recruited very educated people. You cannot employ everybody at the management level; some will be drivers, some will be bodyguards, and not everybody will be promoted to the management level — even in the military,” Owino stated.
Also Watch: Charles Owino: Parents push their wayward children to join police service
His remarks come shortly after a Nairobi High Court issued a conservatory order blocking the National Police Service (NPS) from proceeding with the recruitment of 10,000 police officers, which was scheduled to start tomorrow, Friday, October 3, 2025.
The conservatory order
The Employment and Labour Relations Court, presided over by Lady Justice Hellen Wasilwa, has halted the entire recruitment process until the petition filed by former Kilome Member of Parliament John Harun Mwau is heard.
“An interim conservatory order is hereby issued staying the entire recruitment pending resolution of the petition,” Judge Wasilwa ruled.
Also Watch: Owino warns of challenges in digital police recruitment
The former transport minister, Mwau, filed a certificate of urgency seeking a conservatory order restraining the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) from recruiting, training, employing, assigning, promoting, suspending, and dismissing the members of the service.
In his application, Mwau argues that the NPSC has purported to usurp the powers of the IG and NPS in respect of the recruitment of NPS members, without any color of authority, and intends to proceed with this unconstitutional exercise beginning on Friday, October 3, 2025.
Further, he avers that the NPSC is not a national security organ under Article 239(1) of the Constitution, and it cannot purport to recruit for a national security organ since Article 238(2)(d) declares that the recruitment is by the national security organ and not the national security organ.
“The third respondent (NPSC) is a commission established under Article 246(1) of the Constitution and is sued in this petition for purporting to contravene the Constitution by usurping the Constitutional powers of the first and second respondents by purporting to exercise powers under 238(2)(c), 239, 244(a) and (c), 245(1) and (4) and 247 of the Constitution,” part of the application read.
The court has directed the respondents (Inspector General of Police (IG), National Police Service (NPS), National Police Service Commission (NPSC) and the Attorney General) to file responses within seven days.
Mwau has also been directed to file further affidavits and submissions within seven days and file submissions within seven days.
The matter will be mentioned on October 21, 2025, to confirm compliance and highlight submissions.