Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has approved the promotion of 1,948 National Police Service (NPS) officers whose progression in rank had been on hold.

In a public notice on Monday, October 19, 2026, the NPS announced that the 1,948 officers had completed the relevant promotional courses and fulfilled the criteria for elevation to the various ranks.

The promotions take effect from the date of approval. The promotions follow a Court of Appeal ruling in consolidated Civil Appeal Nos. E971 and E957 of 2025 that upheld a lower court’s judgment concerning the jurisdictions of the Inspector General and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) on the management of uniformed personnel.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeals by the National Police Service Commission and the Law Society of Kenya against the High Court judgment that had nullified the jurisdiction of the NPSC over the personnel.

The judgment delineated the areas of jurisdiction between the NPSC and the Inspector General of Police, particularly with regard to personnel management issues pertaining to uniformed officers.

In his congratulatory message to the 1,948 officers, Kanja said, “promotion entails increased responsibility; therefore, you must exhibit the highest level of professionalism and integrity and be committed to public service delivery,” as per the NPS statement.

The Inspector General added that he hoped the promotions would enhance operational efficiency and promote service delivery in the NPS. The NPS did not reveal the ranks to which the 1,948 officers had been promoted.

However, the promotions come after a court battle concerning the powers of the Inspector General and the NPSC regarding personnel management in the NPS. The controversy began when the NPSC and the Law Society of Kenya filed an appeal challenging the judgment of the High Court in NPS versus National Police Service Commission and another.

On October 16, 2026, the Court of Appeal struck down the consolidated appeals and left the High Court ruling in force. The Court of Appeal’s judgment was in line with the evidence before it, concerning the constitutional issues of police management and the human-resource management powers of the NPSC.

According to the NPS statement, the promotions are part of the efforts to increase operational efficiency and enhance service delivery. The promotions clear the way for the NPS to promote 1,948 officers who have completed the required training and met the criteria for elevation to the different ranks.

The NPS expressed its commitment to achieving its goals of enhancing public safety and providing secure and responsive community policing while operating in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, in a statement, adding that the newly promoted officers would be expected to deliver on its commitment to professional, accountable, and responsive policing.