An uproar over police recruitment in 2014 amid protests it was riddled with corruption prompted a parliamentary investigation , but that scrutiny has not deterred bribery that has plagued the recruitment process in successive years.
Police chiefs were summoned on August 1 by the National Assembly’s National Security and Administration Committee to shed light on allegations of corruption in police recruitment.
The MPs wanted the police chiefs to explain allegations of corruption, favouritism and nepotism during the recruitment process that had been concluded two weeks before the meeting in parliament.
Then Inspector-General David Kimaiyo, National Police Service Commission Chairman Johnstone Kavuludi, Deputy Inspector-General Grace Kaindi and Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Ndegwa Muhoro were called to shed light on the alleged malpractices.
During the grilling in Parliament, then Kandara MP Alice Wahome, now a Cabinet Secretary, remarked: "I know and we know, that money changed hands. But it is difficult to get the evidence."
The committee then gave Mr Kavuludi 14 days to provide an audit showing which recruits had been selected to join the police service.
Years after promising to investigate, there was massive corruption the police recruitment exercise, former Chief Justice David Maraga has revealed in a report submitted to President William Ruto.
The taskforce report on reforming the National Police Service, Prisons and National Youth Service has revealed the rot in recruitment in the three services that the government hopes to reform.
The report says members of the public had submitted that recruitment in the three services was characterised by rampant corruption, cronyism, nepotism, favouritism and tribalism.
In the end, only candidates with political connections or money are recruited into the police service, leaving out deserving and qualified individuals.
“Further reports indicated that slots were being sold for up to Sh600,000, if not more. Those who enter the NPS through political influence sustain their place in the Service by remaining loyal to those ‘they know’, while those who are picked on merit ‘grease’ their positions by granting favours to police bosses,” says the report.
The recruitment of graduate cadets into the service is also riddled with controversy and has left many serving officers disgruntled. “Whereas these cadets are expected to be the future leadership of the service, the Taskforce heard that only the children and relatives of the powerful (including those of senior police officers) are picked through the cadet entry scheme, or as specialists, or civilian staff, thus undermining the vision of the service,” the report adds.
To ensure that police are recruited on merit, the taskforce recommends that the entire recruitment process should be automated in order to minimise instances of corruption and abuse.
The Auditor-General should also conduct a special audit immediately after every national recruitment process, the taskforce said.
According to the taskforce, the National Police Service Commission should have greater oversight of the process and as such “should withdraw its delegation to the IG of all the responsibility to carry out all recruitment processes.”
“The NPSC may, however, work with vetted NPS officers in carrying out recruitment,” the report adds.
The report states that recruitment should include psychometric and aptitude tests in order to ensure the selection of suitable persons.
“Recruitment of cadet officers should be carried out with the objective of addressing future leadership needs of the NPS. In this regard, recruits for cadet training should have a minimum KCSE grade of 'B'. Other officers from the service may join the cadet training after attaining a degree and undergoing the requisite training in the service,” the report says.
In November last year, the president directed that 80 percent of candidates to join the police, prisons and the military service should come from the National Youth Service.
The president said the NYS had doubled its intake to 40,000 starting this year.
Aside from corruption in recruitment, the report says that promotions or transfers are also influenced by bribes.
“Transfers and promotions in the police service are also guided by corruption more than merit,” the report says.
At all subsequent stages of their career life, corruption is the guiding principle, the report revealed.
“While it was reported that there exists an automated HR management system that can facilitate fair deployment and transfers, it had not been implemented to achieve the desired results,” the report said.
“Instead, transfers and deployments, especially to hardship areas, are used as a disciplinary measure, punishment or tool for sexual harassment in flagrant disregard of laid down laws and rules. Again, there were reports of 'transfer fraud' characterised by fictitious transfers that are manufactured purely for payment of allowances,” the report said.
