The National Police Service (NPS) has published a detailed report revealing the ethnic composition of its officers across Kenya.
Inspector General Douglas Kanja presented the figures on May 9, 2025, before the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity, and Regional Integration.
According to the report, the Kalenjin community holds the largest share within the police service, with 20,834 officers currently in uniform.
Trailing behind are the Kikuyu with 17,332 officers, followed by other key communities: the Luhya (8,873), Luo (8,825), and Kamba (8,862).
The ranking continues with the Kisii community contributing 6,228 officers, Meru with 5,873, and the Somali community with 4,270 officers.
The Maasai community accounts for 2,490 officers, while Turkana, Embu, and Giriama follow closely with 1,743, 1,594, and 1,461 officers respectively.
Other notable figures include the Teso (1,397), Borana (1,341), Taita (1,121), Digo (1,107), Kuria (1,076), Samburu (984), Duruma (596), and Pokomo (580) communities.
The rest of the other 27 tribes in Kenya make up the rest of the 5,124 police officers, which includes 2 Indians, 4 Makonde and zero (0) Ogiek.
When probed about the heavy representation of certain ethnic groups, particularly the Kalenjin, within the police ranks, Inspector General Kanja refrained from commenting, citing concerns related to national security.
This disclosure comes as the NPS prepares to launch a much-anticipated recruitment exercise — the first in three years.
IG Kanja announced that the recruitment process will transition to a digital platform, aiming to curb corruption and streamline the application and shortlisting stages.
Under the new system, applicants will submit their details online, with only shortlisted candidates advancing to the physical assessment phase. This approach is expected to enhance transparency and better manage the often overwhelming number of applicants.
