Senate seeks ethnic, county breakdown data on police recruitment

Kisumu senator Tom Ojienda has requested for a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations over the criteria, quotas and methodologies applied in the upcoming National Police Service recruitment and how these ensure proportional representation of under-represented ethnic communities and counties.

In his request,  Ojienda said that the committee should inquire and get information measures for dynamic balancing to prevent over-representation and to take into account the existing composition in each county.

“I am seeking clarification on the criteria, quotas and methodologies applied in the upcoming recruitment and how these ensure proportional representation of under-represented ethnic communities and counties. The Statement should further outline measures for dynamic balancing to prevent over-representation and to take into account the existing composition in each county,” Ojienda requested.

Additionally, the Senator wants the Committee to explain the extent of county involvement in planning, monitoring and coordinating the recruitment exercise including how county governments and local security structures are consulted and integrated into deployment decisions, as well as the mechanisms used to monitor ethnic, county and gender representation during recruitment and deployment.

”The statement should address the framework for deploying newly recruited officers in a manner that guarantees equitable county and ethnic representation while responding to local security needs and outline the steps being undertaken to achieve gender parity alongside ethnic and county equity in the recruitment process,” he added.

His request comes even as the NPS recruitment was temporarily suspended by the labour and employment court after a petition was filed seeking clarification on who should conduct the recruitment (NPS or National Police Service Commission (NPSC).

Lady Justice Hellen Wasilwa granted interim conservatory orders halting the exercise, pending determination of a petition filed by former legislator John Harun Mwau.

In his petition, Harun challenged the legality of the planned exercise, which sought to recruit 10,000 police officers between October 3 and 9 across all counties.

The Court directed the respondents—the Inspector General of Police and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC)—to file their responses within seven days, after which the petitioner will also have seven days to submit further affidavits and written arguments.