In a tweet shared by Kenya Times, a new report from the National Police Service (NPS) has revealed how police officers are distributed among different ethnic communities in Kenya. The report was presented by Inspector General Douglas Kanja to the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity, and Regional Integration on Monday, May 9th, 2025.
The data exposes clear ethnic imbalances within the service, something that has raised concern among leaders and the public.
According to the report, the Kalenjin community has the highest number of officers in the National Police Service, with a total of 20,834 officers.
This number places them far ahead of other communities, sparking questions about fairness and diversity within the force. The Kikuyu community follows as the second most represented, with 17,332 officers.
Other major ethnic groups include the Luhya with 8,873 officers, the Luo with 8,825, and the Kamba with 8,862 officers. These five communities make up the bulk of the NPS workforce.
The Kisii community comes in sixth with 6,228 officers, followed by the Meru with 5,873 and the Somali with 4,270 officers. The Maasai community has 2,490 officers, while the Turkana have 1,743 and the Embu have 1,594 officers.
These numbers continue to reflect the trend of uneven distribution. Other communities such as the Giriama have 1,461 officers, Teso have 1,397, Borana have 1,341, and the Taita have 1,121 officers.
The report also showed that the Digo community has 1,107 officers, Kuria has 1,076, Samburu has 984, Duruma has 596, and Pokomo has 580 officers. These are some of the smallest represented groups in the police force.
During the Senate session, when Inspector General Kanja was asked why one ethnic group seemed to dominate the police workforce, he refused to provide a direct answer. He said that such matters are related to national security and should not be discussed in public.
His response left some senators unsatisfied, as the issue of fair representation continues to be a sensitive topic in the country.This report has come just as the National Police Service is preparing to announce new recruitment opportunities, after a three-year break.
Inspector General Kanja mentioned that the recruitment process will soon move to an online system. He believes that this new system will reduce corruption and improve transparency during the selection process.
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