NAIROBI, Kenya – A woman has suffered a miscarriage while in police custody at Rwanyambo Police Post in Nyandarua County, sparking fresh outrage over the treatment of detainees in Kenya’s law enforcement system.
The National Police Service (NPS) confirmed the incident in a statement released Thursday evening, announcing that the officer in charge of the station has been interdicted with immediate effect.
According to police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, a full-scale investigation is now underway to determine exactly what led to the loss of the unborn child while the woman was being held at the station.
The case has been handed over to the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the watchdog agency currently investigating a growing list of police abuse allegations—including the controversial death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang while in custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
“The NPS reaffirms its steadfast commitment to serving and protecting the public, while strictly upholding the rule of law, human rights, and fundamental freedoms,” Nyaga said.
“Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.”
The incident comes on the heels of a disturbing revelation by IPOA that at least 20 people have died in police custody over the past four months.
The watchdog body has described the trend as “systemic abuse,” noting that the number includes individuals allegedly tortured, denied medical care, or mishandled in facilities meant to protect them.
While details of the woman’s medical condition prior to the miscarriage remain unclear, rights advocates have already begun questioning the conditions at Rwanyambo Police Post and whether officers failed to provide timely medical assistance.
With IPOA already deep into high-profile probes, including the suspected murder of Ojwang—where CCTV footage was reportedly erased to conceal evidence—this new case adds urgency to calls for comprehensive reform within the National Police Service.
