IG Kanja issues warning ahead of police recruitment
By Cynthia Lodite, September 16, 2025Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja has assured Kenyans of a fair and transparent police recruitment process while warning that anyone who goes against the transparency will be taken to jail.
The IG made his remarks on Monday, September 15, 2025, during an interview with a local media house, where he acknowledged that, indeed, in police recruitment, there is a lot of corruption.
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The IG assured Kenyans that this time round, there will be transparency as they are working closely with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to gather any corrupt information.
“In recruitment there is a lot of corruption; that is what we all know, and this time round I want to assure Kenyans that this time round we are going to recruit police officers in a manner,” Kanja said.
According to the IG, while assuring Kenyans of transparency, he also noted that this time round any interested Kenyan who walks into the recruitment process and qualifies will automatically get selected.
“You walk in; if you are qualified, you get recruited, period.” He also added, “That is exactly what I, together with my leadership, want, and we are ready.”
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Kanja has further warned that any officials who go against the spirit of transparency shall be sent out of the service and jailed.
“Any person who will go against that spirit, we are ready to take that someone home and straight to jail,” Kanja said.
While still assuring Kenyans of transparency in the recruitment, Kanja revealed he is working closely with EACC to ensure that just the right people are recruited to the service.
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“This is to ensure that just the right people are recruited in the service,” Kanja said.
He further added, “As the inspector general, I have invited the EACC to come and review our systems and policies so that we can be able to understand where the corruption gaps are.”
Petition against Police recruitment
The Police Boss’s remarks follow a recent petition by Lawyer Shadrack Wambui and Sheria Mtaani who moved to court seeking a conservatory order restraining Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja and the National Police Service (NPS) from recruiting 10,000 police officers as recently announced until the matter of who should manage police payroll is heard and determined.
Through a Certificate of Urgency filed at the Milimani High Court on Thursday, September 11, 2025, the petitioners argue there is a pending matter they lodged in court on August 12, 2025, raising weighty constitutional questions on the delineation of 9 powers under Articles 245 and 246 of the Constitution in respect of control and management of the payroll of the NPS.
“That pending the hearing and determination of this application herein, a conservatory order be issued restraining the Respondents, whether by themselves, their officers, servants, agents, or any person acting under its authority, from proceeding with or in any way conducting the recruitment of police officers as recently announced,” part of the application read.
The petition follows the government’s confirmation that 10,000 new police constables would be recruited this year, marking one of the largest exercises in recent times.