There was confusion after the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi issued a temporary order halting the recruitment of 10,000 police officers, dealing a legal setback to the National Police Service (NPS).
The recruitment was to start Friday, October 3, 2025.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, October 2, 2025, by Lady Justice Hellen Wasilwa, came in response to a petition filed by politician John Harun Mwau against the Inspector General of Police (IG) and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
According to the court documents, an interim conservatory order was issued, staying the entire recruitment process until the petition is fully resolved.
“Interim conservatory order is hereby issued, staying the entire recruitment pending resolution of the Petition,” the court stated in its ruling.
The order directs the IG and NPSC to file their response within seven days, while the petitioner is allowed the same period to file further affidavits and submissions.
The court also scheduled the next mention on October 21, 2025, to confirm compliance and address highlighted submissions.
The orders mean the recruitment process will remain frozen until the court makes a final determination on the petition.
It came after police authorities had finished plans for the exercise that was to start on October 3 to 9, 2025.
It was targeting Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 28 years with a minimum academic qualification of a D+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
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