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Graduates in Police Service want court order respected
Police officers during a past pass-out parade at the National Police College Main Campus Kiganjo in Nyeri County.
Disquiet is growing in the National Police Service (NPS) as graduate officers accuse their employer of defying a court order that they be given first priority in promotions.
The complaints come barely a month before the government begins directly hiring 2,000 cadets, raising fears in the graduates that history may soon repeat itself.
Speaking anonymously, several officers said they have remained in the same job groups for years despite their academic qualifications, in direct contravention of a consent order entered in court after they sued the government.
“Why are they rushing to recruit cadets directly yet there are 8,000 vacancies for ordinary constables and a court order directing our consideration?” one officer asked.
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They say Inspector-General of Police, Douglas Kanja, should give priority to graduate officers, many of whom joined the service with bachelor’s degrees or attained them while in service but have remained constables from as early as 2016.
Another officer said the NPS could repeat the malpractice of 2021 when more than 900 cadets were said to have been hired from outside the service “through favouritism, nepotism and bribery”.
According to the aggrieved officers, those recruited in 2021 were quickly promoted to inspectors, leapfrogging graduates serving in the force.
They want the NPS to honour the court order and the recommendations of the task force that was chaired by former Chief Justice David Maraga, which advised that serving officers with the requisite qualifications be given priority in promotions.
“If there is genuine need to recruit cadets from outside, it must be justified by a lack of equivalent special qualifications among graduates in the service,” another officer said.
They said many of them made sacrifices to study, often under difficult circumstances.
“Why should we be barred from holding other jobs but are ignored when it comes to promotions?” the officer posed.
The grievances date back to 2022 when Mr Japhet Koome was the police boss. More than 1,000 graduate officers were reportedly excluded from promotions and denied special pay.
After their concerns were ignored, a group of five officers moved to the Labour Court, filing a petition against the NPS, the Inspector General, the Interior Cabinet Secretary, and the Attorney General.
They accused the respondents of violating their rights under the Constitution by denying them fair promotion opportunities. They also challenged a shortlist compiled in November 2022 for the Special Subordinate to Inspector Graduate Course, claiming it was done without advertisement, suitability tests, or adherence to promotion guidelines.
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja.
The officers sought orders prohibiting the NPS from proceeding with the disputed promotions, while demanding a transparent staff audit and merit-based process.
On July 10, 2024, Justice Byram Ongaya ruled in their favour, directing that graduate constables be considered for promotion on priority, in line with career guidelines.
However, the officers now claim the order has been ignored.
When contacted for comment on the allegations, NPS Spokesperson Michael Muchiri told the Nation: “I am in a meeting.”
