Public given corruption hotlines for use in police recruitment drive

Call 999, 911, or 112 to report any unethical conduct during police recruitment drive.

A police officer inspects a candidate during recruitment exercise at Chuka Town in Meru South District in 2015. PHOTO | ALEX NJERU |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Commission asked Kenyans to SMS 23359 or call 0724256448 to report any malpractices in the police recruitment.
• The rights body said it will station monitors at 120 of the 290 recruitment centres to encourage transparency and accountability during the exercise.
• The government is plans to recruit 10,000 officers and bond them for at least 10 years, during which they cannot leave the service.

By ANGIRA ZADOCK
More by this Author

By JACQUELINE KUBANIA
More by this Author

The Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett has asked the public to call 999, 911 or 112 to report any unethical conduct during Monday's police recruitment drive.

Through a statement published online on the National Police Service's (NPS) Twitter handle @NPSOfficial_KE, Mr Boinett cautioned those participating in the recruitment exercise to uphold integrity and "steer clear of corrupt activities."

"Information reaching the NPS reveals one person has been arrested in Nairobi County for defrauding a family of Sh50,000 purportedly to influence enlistment of their son," read the online statement.

Earlier Sunday, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Commission asked Kenyans to SMS 23359 or call 0724256448 to report any malpractices in the police recruitment.

The rights body said it will station monitors at 120 of the 290 recruitment centres to encourage transparency and accountability during the exercise.

Last year, the Court of Appeal upheld a decision to nullify the recruitment of more than 8,000 young people after the High Court had ruled that the July 2014 exercise was riddled with corruption, among other irregularities, thus violating the Constitution.

“As much as we sympathise with the young people who genuinely passed the test and whose dreams of joining the police were shattered, we cannot allow them to be beneficiaries of a sham recruitment, where up to Sh200,000 was paid in exchange for the offer letter,” ruled the judges.

The government is plans to recruit 10,000 officers and bond them for at least 10 years, during which they cannot leave the service.

Mr Murshid Mohamed, a member of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), said the new rule, is aimed at ensuring Kenya is closer to meeting the international ratio of one officer for every 400 citizens