The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has called for a comprehensive review of police recruitment and training policies following controversy surrounding the discontinuation of recruits at the National Police Service training college in Kiganjo.
In a statement issued on May 10, the Commission said it had taken note of reports involving recruits removed from training due to forged academic documents, criminal records, disciplinary matters, health concerns, and pregnancy-related issues.
The Commission also acknowledged clarification from the National Police Service that affected female recruits were already pregnant before reporting to the training college and that the pregnancies were not linked to misconduct within the institution.
According to NPS, the physically intensive nature of police training raised safety concerns for pregnant recruits.
The Commission recognised that police training involves rigorous physical endurance, tactical readiness, field drills, weapons handling, and operational deployment preparation.
Constitutional and Legal Concerns Raised
However, NGEC stated that the matter presents larger constitutional and policy concerns about equality, fairness, and administrative procedures in the recruiting framework.
The Commission also stated that recent court rulings regarding the legitimacy and mandate of recruiting procedures conducted by the National Police Service Commission in 2025 raise systemic questions about openness, legality, and constitutional compliance.
Citing Article 27 of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, the Commission stated that all people are given equality before the law and protection against discrimination, including discrimination based on gender, pregnancy, health status, and socioeconomic position.
NGEC stated that the present dispute highlights a serious policy deficiency in Kenya’s police recruiting and training structure.
According to the Commission, there is insufficient clarity, consistency, and public communication regarding recruitment eligibility, deferment mechanisms, and the handling of pregnancy within disciplined services.
The Commission argued that the constitutional issue at hand is not whether pregnancy affects participation in intense exercise, but whether the State has a legitimate, humane, reasonable, and non-discriminatory framework for dealing with such situations.
It cautioned that vague recruiting standards and contradictory administrative judgments might give rise to allegations of discrimination, arbitrary treatment, and constitutional breaches.
Call for Policy Review and Reform
NGEC is now calling for reforms aimed at aligning police recruitment and training policies with constitutional principles on equality, human dignity, and fair administrative action.
The Commission also recommended broader public participation and consultations involving oversight agencies, gender experts, security sector actors, medical professionals, and human rights stakeholders.
Among the proposals put forward are clearer pre-recruitment disclosure requirements, medical assessment standards, deferment and re-admission mechanisms, safeguards for maternal health, and protection against arbitrary exclusion.
The Commission further called for enhanced transparency in recruitment processes, particularly following repeated cases involving forged documents, criminal records, and post-recruitment vetting failures.
