Murkomen hails recruitment of 10,000 police constables to boost national security
CS Kipchumba Murkomen noted that understaffing has been a major obstacle for police stations nationwide and a pressing concern in all 43 counties visited during his Jukwaa la Usalama grassroots engagement.
The National Police Service (NPS) is set to strengthen its ranks with the recruitment of 10,000 new constables, a move aimed at addressing chronic understaffing and improving security across the country.
Interior and National Administration CS Kipchumba Murkomen welcomed the upcoming recruitment exercise, advertised by the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), saying it will significantly enhance the service’s capacity to respond to security challenges.
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“This is the first recruitment under this administration since 2021. We are going to enhance our strength in the next nine months when the recruits will have left the training,” the CS said.
Speaking after a security meeting in Nyamira during his Jukwaa la Usalama grassroots engagement on Friday, September 19, CS Murkomen noted that understaffing has been a major obstacle for police stations nationwide and a pressing concern in all 43 counties visited.
“Similarly, as witnessed in all five Nyanza counties visited and Western regions, the SGBV cases continue to be a matter of national concern,” he said.
CS Murkomen stressed that femicide and other forms of gender-based violence remain urgent national issues. “The President established a task force to work on this issue, and there is an ongoing crackdown and implementation of issues of GBV,” he stated.
He urged communities and stakeholders to examine why some areas experience higher levels of violence, asking, “Is it the cultural practices that are perpetuating these crimes?”
The CS emphasised that tackling violence against women, including FGM and defilement of children, requires a coordinated approach. He also acknowledged that men are victims, but cultural beliefs often prevent them from reporting.
“We must deal with these stereotypes that are engraved that victims are not strong enough to come out and speak,” he stressed.
Linking some violent incidents to substance abuse and mental health issues, CS Murkomen said, “Some of the cases are as a result of mental health, use of drugs and alcohol. As we crack down on drugs and alcohol, we are also dealing with what is driving spouses to kill each other. The rampant cases of men killing their girlfriends are unacceptable, and we must do everything to stop them.”
He directed focused operations targeting peddlers and users of illicit alcohol and drugs, revealing that a notorious supplier in Nyamira County, under police surveillance, will soon be apprehended.
CS Murkomen also highlighted that disputes over land and cultural practices preventing women from inheriting property have fueled violent incidents in the region.
The new recruitment, he said, will strengthen the NPS’s presence nationwide, fill critical gaps in staffing, and enhance the service’s ability to respond to crime and protect communities effectively.
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