Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen during an event in West Pokot on July 18, 2025/COURTESYInterior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has laid out strict new rules to govern the upcoming police recruitment exercise, in a bid to eliminate corruption, ensure fairness, and restore public trust in the process.
Murkomen revealed that the government is set to introduce major changes, including strict timelines, centralised medical examinations, and enhanced public monitoring.
According to the CS, all recruitment activities henceforth must conclude by 4 pm to minimise opportunities for malpractice that often occur after dark.
He said concerns have emerged over irregularities during medical examinations conducted late in the day, where families are told their candidates failed without clear explanation, and sometimes asked for bribes disguised as “medical letters.”
“Tunataka next recruitment iishe saa kumi…giza ikiingia na mnaambiwa sasa ni medical, maneno inatokea. Unaambiwa hakuna barua, na kumbe hiyo barua ni elfu mia tano au mia sita,” he remarked.
To address this, Murkomen announced that medical tests will no longer be done at recruitment venues but instead at the police training school.
This, he said, will eliminate the temptation from those involved in the process to extort money from desperate applicants.
In addition, the CS called for the deployment of independent observers, including religious leaders, civil society, and community representatives, at every recruitment centre to oversee the exercise and verify results.
This, as he emphasised that successful candidates must be publicly listed by end of day, with results pinned on noticeboards to ensure transparency.
"Tukisema tunataka observers, tunataka kuona bishop hapo, civil society na representatives wa jamii. Wao wataona huyu kijana amekimbia vizuri na amekuwa number one, huyu amepita.”
Murkomen also disclosed that the upcoming recruitment will take longer than usual, with the government opting for a more gradual and open process that could span 10 to 20 days.
"We will do the recruitment this time over ten, twenty days — no problem... there's no rush this time so that people can get a fair share of those being recruited."
He, however, challenged local communities to take an active role in discouraging bribery.
He told them to agree collectively that no one should pay to be recruited.
“Who are these giving out bribes? he posed during an engagement with local leaders and residents in Kapenguria, West Pokot County.
"Why can't you call a meeting and resolve that we cannot accept anyone giving out money in our sub-county or in our area?"
Murkomen has been in the Rift Valley region for the Jukwaa la Usalama forums, nationwide series of public engagements aimed at enhancing security and governance through grassroots dialogue.
