NAIROBI, Kenya- The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has called for a comprehensive review of police recruitment and training policies following the dismissal of more than 18 pregnant recruits from the National Police Service training at Kiganjo Police Training College.
In a statement released on Sunday, May 10, NGEC said the incident has exposed serious policy and legal gaps within the recruitment framework, particularly in how pregnancy is handled during admission and training in disciplined forces.
The Commission said the lack of a clear, standardized framework on eligibility, deferment, and medical conditions during training risks exposing recruits to discrimination and arbitrary administrative decisions.
NGEC emphasized that Article 27 of the Constitution guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination, including on the basis of sex, pregnancy, and health status, and urged the State to align recruitment procedures with constitutional requirements.
The controversy follows reports that female recruits were discontinued within the first month of training after mandatory medical screening confirmed pregnancy.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), all recruits undergo pregnancy tests upon arrival at Kiganjo, and those found to be pregnant are removed from training on medical and safety grounds due to the physically demanding nature of police training.
NPS has maintained that the decision is administrative rather than disciplinary, arguing that the training environment, characterised by endurance drills, obstacle courses and firearms training, poses risks to both the mother and unborn child.
However, NGEC has disputed the absence of a structured policy framework, saying the lack of clear deferment or reintegration mechanisms creates uncertainty and undermines fairness in recruitment.
The commission has now recommended a full policy overhaul, including multi-sector consultations involving security agencies, gender experts, medical professionals, and human rights organisations to develop a more humane and consistent approach.
The issue has sparked nationwide debate, with human rights groups calling for reforms that balance operational demands within the police service and constitutional protections for women.
