Kenya’s national police recruitment drive will resume on Monday after a High Court judge lifted a suspension that had halted the process earlier in the week.

The exercise follows the ruling by Justice Bahati Mwamuye, who had issued a conservatory order on 10 November in response to a petition filed by activist Eliud Matindi. Matindi had challenged the recruitment announced by Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, arguing the IG’s decision lacked constitutional backing.

“The recruitment will go ahead following the ruling,” said the High Court notice.

With the suspension lifted on Friday, 14 November, the recruitment is set to proceed unless the National Police Service (NPS) issues further direction.

What Was the Dispute?

Matindi’s petition claimed that the IG over-stepped his authority when he launched the recruitment on 4 November 2025. The High Court initially paused all activities pending the hearing of his case.

In the 10 November ruling, Justice Mwamuye ordered that the recruitment notice be halted until the petition was resolved. The recruitment process seeks to enlist thousands of constables across the country.

After the Lift

With the court’s suspension lifted, prospective applicants are cleared to participate starting Monday. The NPS has not yet issued a statement confirming the exercise will run exactly as previously scheduled, though no new obstacles have been announced.

Experts say that the court’s decision may reflect the judiciary’s willingness to allow state bodies to carry out large-scale activities unless clear legal defects are shown.

Some observers caution that the legal challenge may not yet be over — the petition remains live, and further orders could still emerge depending on how the court proceeds.

Balanced View

From one perspective, the lifting of the suspension clears the way for the NPS to fill manpower gaps that have long hindered policing capacity in Kenya. On the other hand, critics say the recruitment process still requires oversight to ensure fairness and legality, given the prior court challenge.

Until the underlying petition is resolved, some uncertainty remains — but for now, the pathway is open for the recruitment drive to move ahead as planned.