President William Ruto on Friday, September 4, 2026, presided over the 59th Passing-Out Parade of Administration Police Service recruits at the National Police College, Embakasi ‘A’ Campus, marking the completion of training for a new cohort of officers. The ceremony brought together senior government and security officials, families and friends of the recruits as the officers formally completed their basic training and joined the Administration Police Service. The recruits had undergone nine months of training covering physical, tactical and intellectual aspects of police work. The training was intended to prepare them for policing duties within the National Police Service. Ruto used the occasion to urge the newly graduated officers to exercise their authority responsibly, with restraint and respect for the constitutional rights of citizens. His remarks came as the government continues to emphasise professionalism and reforms within the National Police Service.
The passing-out ceremony also formed part of a wider government programme to improve police infrastructure, training and welfare.
Before the parade, President Ruto paid tribute to Kenyan officers who died while serving in Haiti. He laid a wreath at the National Police College in honour of officers who lost their lives while deployed under the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti. The president also presided over the handover of the Kenyan contingent’s flag following the mission. Kenya deployed officers to Haiti in June 2024 as part of an international effort to support the country’s security agencies in tackling armed gangs and restoring security.
Ruto also commissioned a newly constructed 780-capacity police barracks at the National Police College. The facility is part of ongoing efforts to improve accommodation and other welfare facilities for officers. The government has identified police housing, training infrastructure and operational facilities as areas requiring continued investment as it modernises the National Police Service. The latest development comes days after Ruto presided over the passing-out parade of more than 6,000 Kenya Police Service recruits at the National Police College in Kiganjo, Nyeri County. The two ceremonies form part of the government’s broader effort to increase the number of trained personnel within the National Police Service.
The graduation also comes against the backdrop of renewed attention on police conduct, accountability and the use of state authority. During the ceremony, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen defended Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja’s constitutional independence, citing Article 245 of the Constitution. Murkomen said the Inspector-General remains in charge of the National Police Service in matters including investigations, promotions and deployment. The emphasis on command independence and professional conduct is significant as the newly trained officers begin their careers in a service whose operations are constitutionally expected to uphold the rule of law and respect human rights. The government has also been implementing changes to police training and working conditions, including improvements in training facilities, equipment and accommodation.
The new Administration Police officers will join an institution with responsibilities that include maintaining security at government facilities and other critical installations, supporting national government administration, preventing stock theft and assisting in maintaining security in areas affected by conflict and other threats. The 59th passing-out parade therefore marked more than the end of a nine-month training programme. It formally signalled the entry of another group of officers into Kenya’s national policing structure at a time when the government is seeking to strengthen both the capacity and public accountability of the security services.
