By Ongaga Ongaga
A chorus of uproar has spread across Kenya after several female police recruits were discontinued from training recently for allegedly being pregnant.
Already, the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has cited constitutional gaps and policy shortcomings in handling pregnancy during training.
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The Commission acknowledged the clarification by the National Police Service (NPC) that the affected female recruits were already pregnant before reporting to the college, stressing that the issue was not misconduct but the absence of clear frameworks to guide such situations.
“The constitutional question that must be addressed is not whether pregnancy affects participation in strenuous training but whether the State has clear, lawful, proportionate, humane, and non-discriminatory framework for handling such situations,” said NGEC Chairperson Rehema Jaldesa.
The Commission noted that police training is rigorous, physically intensive, and operationally demanding, but warned that lack of transparent policies risks perceptions of arbitrariness and discrimination.
It called for a comprehensive review of recruitment and training policies to align with Article 27 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination.
NGEC emphasized the need for multi-sector consultation involving oversight agencies, gender experts, medical professionals, and human rights stakeholders.
“Where recruitment criteria and consequences are not clearly defined, publicly communicated, consistently applied, and constitutionally tested, then affected individuals may perceive administrative decisions as arbitrary, punitive, or discriminatory,” NGEC warned.
The Commission also urged enhanced transparency in recruitment to curb forged documents and vetting failures, and harmonisation of constitutional principles with operational realities in disciplined services.
It reiterated that equality does not mean ignoring biological realities but ensuring that state decisions are lawful, fair, and grounded in clear policy.
“The Commission remains committed to supporting reforms that strengthen constitutionalism, professionalism, equality, accountability, and public confidence within Kenya’s security sector institutions,” Jaldesa concluded.
