Kalonzo Gives NPS, TSC and KDF Seven-Day Ultimatum Over Recruitment

Former Vice President and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has given the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) seven days to explain how recruitment into the institutions has been conducted over the past five years.

Kalonzo said Kenyans deserve to know who has been recruited, how many people have been hired, the criteria used and the regions from which successful applicants were drawn.

The Wiper leader issued the ultimatum on Friday amid allegations that some Members of Parliament have been issuing TSC recruitment letters.

“Seven days. That is what I am giving the National Police Service Commission, the Teachers Service Commission and the Kenya Defence Forces to come clean on who they have recruited over the last five years, how many, on what basis, and from where in this country. Kenyans are waiting,” Kalonzo said.

Kalonzo said recent claims by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina over the alleged distribution of TSC recruitment letters should not be dismissed as political rhetoric.

He said the allegations require investigations because they touch on fairness and transparency in public recruitment.

“You cannot dismiss what National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina have said about TSC recruitment letters allegedly coming out of State House as just political noise,” he said.

Kalonzo argued that allegations involving public recruitment agencies must be addressed openly to establish whether recruitment processes are being conducted on merit.

He said Kenyans have a right to know whether public institutions are making recruitment decisions independently or under political influence.

Kalonzo further alleged that his party had received information suggesting that recruitment into the three institutions had increasingly failed to reflect the country’s regional diversity.

He claimed that some applicants could be disadvantaged based on political considerations rather than merit.

According to Kalonzo, such practices would undermine the constitutional principles governing public service.

“That is not how Article 232 of our Constitution was written, and it is certainly not how a republic is supposed to work,” he said.

Article 232 sets out values and principles of public service, including high standards of professional ethics, efficient use of resources, responsive and equitable provision of services, and fair competition and merit in appointments and promotions.

Kalonzo said recruitment opportunities in public institutions should be available to qualified Kenyans regardless of their political affiliations or regions.

The Wiper leader said he had instructed his Members of Parliament and lawyers to formally seek information from the three institutions.

He said the letters would be sent within 48 hours and would seek detailed recruitment information covering the past five years.

“I have already directed our MPs and our lawyers to write to these three institutions within the next 48 hours demanding this information in full, backed by the law that guarantees Kenyans access to information held by public bodies,” Kalonzo said.

He said the seven-day period would begin once the letters are delivered to the institutions.

Kalonzo warned that failure to provide the requested information would result in legal action.

“If they choose silence instead of answers, we will go to court and ask a judge to compel them to disclose what they are hiding,” he said.

The former Vice President said public institutions should not be used to reward political supporters or individuals with connections to those in power.

He argued that recruitment into the police service, teaching profession and military should be based on transparent and objective criteria.

Kalonzo specifically cited young people from counties such as Kajiado, Makueni and Taita Taveta, saying they should have equal opportunities to secure public sector jobs.

“These institutions belong to Kenyans. They are not a basket of favours for Ruto’s regime to dish out to friends and reward loyalty,” he said.

He said the recruitment records sought from NPSC, TSC and KDF would help establish whether the process has been fair and representative.

Kalonzo maintained that the information should be made available to the public and that his team would pursue the matter through the courts if the institutions fail to respond.

“Kenyans will get the truth about who is being hired into their institutions, and why, with or without State House’s cooperation,” he said.