By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, August 21,2026 - Kenya is stepping up preparations to secure the 2027 General Election with 10,000 new police officers set to join the National Police Service (NPS), as Parliament warns that criminal gangs and illegal firearms could become a major threat to the country’s political stability.
The new officers are expected to graduate from the National Police Service Training College in Kiganjo, Nyeri County, on August 28, giving the security agencies a much-needed boost ahead of an election expected to trigger heightened political activity across the country.
The recruitment comes after years of concern over police shortages, with natural attrition and limited recruitment leaving the service struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels.
The National Police Service Commission has previously cited a police-to-population ratio of about one officer for every 688 Kenyans, underscoring the pressure on the service.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lang’at said the new officers would strengthen the country’s security architecture and increase the NPS capacity to respond to emerging threats.
“We are happy that we will be injecting another good number of police officers into our national security architecture,” Mr Lang’at said yesterday during a rehearsal for the passing-out parade at Kiganjo.
But the deployment comes at a time when security agencies are facing a more complex threat landscape, including organized criminal groups, proliferation of firearms and emerging forms of crime such as cybercrime.
National Assembly Departmental Committee on National Administration and Internal Security chairman Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo said the country could not afford to ignore the growing threat posed by criminal gangs as the 2027 political season approaches.
Mr Tongoyo alleged that politicians were financing criminal groups and warned that the gangs could be used to cause chaos, disrupt political meetings or intimidate rivals.
“It is true, absolutely true. What you are seeing in the country, these gangs, criminal groupings , are almost entirely, if not all, being sponsored by politicians,” he said.
The MP said the parliamentary committee would demand answers from the Interior Ministry and the NPS when it meets security officials on Tuesday.
He challenged the police to pursue individuals suspected of financing criminal gangs regardless of their political status or connections.
The warning places the spotlight on the ability of security agencies to keep political competition from spilling into violence, particularly as politicians begin mobilizing supporters ahead of the 2027 polls.
Mr Tongoyo said the 10,000 recruits had been trained to confront modern forms of crime, including cybercrime, which he said required a new approach to policing.
“I have no doubt in my mind, having seen what these officers have been trained to do, including tackling modern-day challenges such as cybercrime, that we are going to see a total different change in matters of security in the country,” he said.
Mr Lang’at said the NPS had also developed strategies to deal with insecurity linked to firearms and organised criminal groups.
He urged politicians, religious leaders, community leaders and young people to work with security agencies in combating gangs and preventing violence.
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The DIG dismissed allegations that police officers were being used to disrupt political meetings or facilitate violence, insisting that the service would enforce the law fairly.
“Our laws and security procedures require that all of us deal with these criminal gangs as per the law. There is no complication by any security officers,” he said.
Mr Lang’at said communities had a crucial role to play in preventing crime and urged Kenyans to share information with the police.
He said the Directorate of Community Policing, headed by Assistant Inspector-General Judy Chibet, would continue strengthening cooperation between security agencies and the public.
“We want to see the police work closely with the community,” he said.
The parliamentary committee is also pushing for more resources for the NPS, arguing that additional officers must be matched with adequate equipment, operational funding and improved welfare.
Mr Tongoyo said Parliament had pushed for the proportion of the police budget allocated to operations to increase from about 19 per cent to 25 per cent in the current financial year.
The committee is also backing the acquisition of modern equipment to enhance the police response to insecurity in the North Rift, northern Kenya and the Kerio Valley.
The push for greater investment comes amid continuing concerns over police transport, equipment and other operational needs.
In May, Inspector General Douglas Kanja warned Parliament that the resources allocated for recruitment were insufficient to meet the cost of expanding the force ahead of the 2027 election.
Mr Tongoyo said Parliament was also engaging the Ministry of Housing on better accommodation for police officers through the affordable housing programme.
He said improved salaries, housing, uniforms and working conditions were essential to maintaining the morale of officers expected to shoulder the burden of securing the country during the election period.
The 10,000 recruits will therefore enter the NPS at a critical moment, as Kenya seeks to strengthen its security machinery while confronting a new generation of threats — from organized gangs and firearms to cybercrime and politically driven violence.
Their deployment will test whether the country can translate increased police numbers and funding into a more effective security operation capable of protecting voters, candidates and political gatherings without compromising citizens’ rights as the 2027 contest gathers momentum.