National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has intensified public engagement efforts to better national police recruitment, promotion and transfers in Kenya.

During a major public participation forum at St Bhakita Hall in Bomet Town, members of the public had an opportunity to review and ventilate on the draft National Police Service Commission (Recruitment and Appointment) Regulations, 2025.

The Bomet regional meeting was a part of a countrywide exercise covering 17 regions to help validate and improve on the proposed regulations. The regulations seek to overhaul how new officers join the National Police Service (NPS) and how serving officers advance within the ranks with the aim of bettering service delivery in the police service.

Central to these reforms is the planned rollout of the Police Recruitment System (PRS), a secure, digital platform designed to transform recruitment and eliminate loopholes that have in the past been exploited for corruption. According to NPSC, PRS will replace traditional face-to-face recruitment with a secure, role-based access system supported by real-time audit trails.

“We believe that an accountable and professional police service begins with how officers are recruited and promoted. Public participation is central to ensuring that recruitment, transfers and promotions reflect the values and expectations of the people we serve,” NPSC said in a statement.

The commission further invites stakeholders including members of the public, government institutions, professional bodies and civil society organisations to submit feedback either in writing or by attending the scheduled forums.

NPSC says the inclusive approach will help create a framework that guarantees transparency, accountability and merit-based recruits’ selection.

In Bomet, participants welcomed the reforms, with many praising the shift to a digital process, saying it will curb the reported high rate of corruption that bedevil the current police recruitment exercise.

“This new process is a step in the right direction. If done well, it will curb the high rate of bribery and favouritism that has tainted recruitment exercises in the past. Eliminating face-to-face interaction and replacing it with secure, trackable systems is a game-changer for transparency,” Joseph Korir, one of the attendees said.

It further aligns with the recommendations of the Maraga Taskforce on Police Reforms, which emphasised modernisation and integrity in law enforcement processes. By leveraging technology, the commission hopes to not only close corruption loopholes but also speed up the recruitment process, ensure equal opportunity for all applicants, and build public trust in the service.

The Bomet forum is one of the several taking place this month, with the commission set to compile all feedback before finalizing and gazetting the regulations later this year.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Nickson Terer