Written by Joyce Nzomo
The High Court has cleared the way for the recruitment of 10,000 police officers after a petition seeking to halt the exercise was formally withdrawn on Tuesday.
On Monday, lobby group Sheria Mtaani, through lawyers Danstan Omari, Shadrack Wambui and Cliff Ombeta, had urged the court to suspend the nationwide exercise scheduled for October 1, citing constitutional disputes between the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC). They argued the process risked undermining constitutional values if conducted under a disputed framework.
The Attorney General, appearing for the state, opposed the petition, warning that suspending the recruitment would interfere with the IGP’s constitutional mandate under Article 245, including his independent command of the Service.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi had fast-tracked the matter and directed parties to return on Tuesday morning for a full hearing.
However, when the case was mentioned today, lawyer Danstan Omari informed the court that Sheria Mtaani had received over 20,000 calls and messages from youths and their parents asking that the case be dropped. Many applicants had already travelled to recruitment centers ahead of Wednesday’s exercise.
Omari said the petitioners’ principal had instructed that the application be withdrawn in the interest of the youths, citing the country’s urgent need for more police officers because of the approaching 2027 General Election, and ongoing international deployments that have stretched the Service’s capacity.
“The petitioner has applied to withdraw the applications dated August 11 and September 9, 2025, in totality,” Omari told the court.
Justice Mugambi allowed the withdrawal, effectively paving the way for the recruitment to proceed as planned on Wednesday.
