Over 4,500 police officers exit in 3 years, IG Kanja warns of strain as budget cuts hit operations
Kanja said 1,206 officers have died, 326 resigned, and 289 were dismissed from service.
Over 4,000 police officers have exited the National Police Service in just three years, leaving behind a strained force struggling to manage rising security demands across the country.
Appearing before the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Internal Security in Nairobi, Inspector-General Douglas Kanja revealed the breakdown of the exits since the last recruitment in 2022.
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He said 1,206 officers have died, 326 resigned, and 289 were dismissed from service.
In the same period, 2,563 officers went on mandatory retirement, 95 retired under the 12–20 years rule, and 58 retired after turning 50.
Thirty officers were removed from office on public interest grounds, while two left due to medical reasons. In total, 4,569 officers exited the service, with most of them coming from the Kenya Police Service.
Kanja told MPs the numbers have affected day-to-day operations and left gaps in critical areas of policing.
“The attrition of 4,569 officers from NPS since the last recruitment exercise in 2022 has significant implications for staffing levels, operational capacity, and strategic planning within the service,” he said.
He cited challenges such as overworked officers, slow response during emergencies, gaps in investigations, and limited presence in routine patrols.
The National Police Service is made up of the Kenya Police Service, the Administration Police, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Despite the country facing internal security threats, the National Treasury has slashed the National Police Service’s budget by Sh40.96 billion, a move that Kanja warns could cripple key operations and compromise national safety.
Last week, he said the budget cuts will critically affect the procurement of strategic and specialised supplies, including ammunition and the new police uniforms.
“Even though the NPS recurrent expenditure has increased, budget cuts have been effected in areas which are core to the police operations. Further cuts on development have affected very critical projects,” Kanja said.
According to the 2025/26 budget estimates before the House, the National Police Service (NPS) has been allocated Sh125.3 billion, Sh29.89 billion for recurrent expenditure and Sh11.07 billion for development. Of this total allocation, Sh102.5 billion, accounting for about 82.8 per cent, is designated for personnel emoluments and medical insurance schemes through private providers.
Kanja warned that the slashed funds will impact critical functions such as the purchase of ammunition and accessories, acquisition of new police uniforms, recruitment of constables, maintenance of police vehicles and equipping of the forensic laboratory at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
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