Firing of pregnant Kiganjo recruits exposes deep flaws in police recruitment

The dismissal of 18 pregnant recruits from the National Police College in Kiganjo has exposed underlying gaps in the recruitment exercise.

Revelations that the expectant mothers were discovered while inside the college raise serious questions on the credibility of the hiring process that has long been tainted by patronage, nepotism and corruption.

Another concern is the effectiveness of vetting and monitoring mechanisms usually deployed to deter cases of cheating, fraud and favouritism. 

The women are among 54 discontinued over various offences. Of these 18 other recruits were sent home for forging certificates while 10 had criminal records, but this was only discovered after they had already started training.

The recruits reported to the college on November 24, 2025. The discontinuations were announced recently by college commandant Nyale Munga during a visit to the facility by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and top police commanders.

The controversy prompted the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) chairperson, Rehema Jaldesa, to call for a thorough review of recruitment and training policies. Jaldesa said the dismissals exposed a critical policy gap, particularly the lack of clarity, consistency and adequate public communication regarding recruitment eligibility, deferment mechanisms and the treatment of pregnancy in paramilitary and security sector training.

The National Police Service (NPS) moved swiftly to counter social media claims suggesting that the female recruits had become pregnant while inside the college. Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja stated categorically that no female recruit had conceived at the institution.

He explained that all female recruits undergo mandatory pregnancy screening immediately upon arrival at Kiganjo, with positive cases subjected to a confirmatory test at a government medical facility in Nyeri before any action is taken.

Police authorities defended the decision, citing the physically demanding nature of the training — which includes rigorous drills, obstacle courses and firearms exercises — arguing that it poses serious risks to both expectant mothers and their unborn children. Kanja also dismissed allegations of fraternisation, insisting that male and female recruits only interact during official supervised sessions.

However, the move triggered widespread public debate. Nyeri advocate Stanley Gacheru Wabandi stressed that any decision affecting a person’s rights must adhere to the Constitution, particularly Article 47 on fair administrative action and Article 50 on the right to a fair hearing.

Beyond the pregnancy issue, the revelations have ignited broader concerns about institutional integrity. Political analyst Lewis Brown Mathenge and governance activist John Mwai pointed out that the discovery of forged academic certificates, fake identification documents and criminal records only after recruits had reported for training points to serious loopholes in the vetting process between county recruitment centres and final admission to the college.

Medical experts have acknowledged that the rigorous training can indeed pose health risks to pregnant women, particularly from the second trimester onwards, underscoring the operational challenges faced by the police service.

However, many stakeholders maintain that a more humane policy balancing operational needs and women’s realities is urgently needed. Police commanders are yet to clarify exactly when the irregularities involving forged documents and criminal records were discovered, or whether investigations have been launched into possible collusion during the recruitment exercise.

 Women's rights activists argue that pregnancy should not automatically translate into exclusion from career opportunities, especially where deferment mechanisms could be considered.

“This issue has moved beyond Kiganjo; it is now about whether state institutions are willing to create systems that recognise both operational needs and the realities facing women,” said Wangu Wamuthoni, a human rights defender.

Muthoni faulted the decision to discontinue the pregnant recruits, saying every woman has a right to have a child and should not automatically lose career opportunities because of pregnancy.

While acknowledging that police training is physically demanding and could pose health risks or complications to expectant mothers, she argued that deferment would have been a more humane and fair option instead of sending the recruit home.

Legal experts have also joined the debate, with some questioning whether automatic discontinuation based on pregnancy could face constitutional scrutiny under provisions protecting equality, dignity and fair administrative action.

Lawyer Stanley Gacheru Wabandi stated that while institutions may rely on internal recruitment or medical assessment procedures, any action that results in termination or exclusion must strictly comply with the Constitution, which remains the supreme law of the land.

He noted that disputes arising from such decisions cannot be resolved through administrative processes alone, where fairness is questioned, emphasising that the courts remain the ultimate avenue for justice. He stressed that the Constitution guarantees both fair administrative action and the right to a fair hearing, particularly where a person’s status or health condition is used as a basis for exclusion.

“The Constitution of Kenya is the supreme law, and no institution can act outside it. Where a decision affects a person’s rights or status, that individual must be treated fairly and allowed to be heard. Discrimination based on status has no place in law, and where people feel aggrieved, the courts remain open for them to challenge such actions and seek justice,” Wabandi said.

“In any situation where a person feels aggrieved by an administrative or disciplinary decision, the law is clear—they must be allowed to be heard, and where that process is not followed, they are fully entitled to move to court to defend their rights,” he said.

For years, police recruitment exercises in Kenya have faced accusations of corruption, bribery and political interference. In several past recruitment drives, allegations have emerged that candidates paid bribes to secure slots or used fraudulent documents to qualify.

The latest dismissals are likely to intensify calls for reforms within the National Police Service Commission and other agencies involved in recruitment and verification.

Some observers also argue that lumping pregnant recruits together with recruits accused of forgery and criminal histories risks creating unfair public perceptions.

Medical experts and nutritionists in Nyeri noted that police training remains physically demanding and can indeed pose risks to expectant mothers.

“Excessive physical work and heavy labour during pregnancy, especially from around the sixth month to full term, can pose health risks to both the mother and the unborn child. During this period, a pregnant woman should avoid hard labour, as the body requires adequate rest and protection.

“Even in the earlier months, work should not be excessive, as overexertion is not beneficial to maternal health. Proper nutrition, regular check-ups, and the absence of underlying health conditions are essential to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy,” she argued.

Pregnancy detection varies significantly from one woman to another, as the body responds differently to early hormonal changes. According to Grace, the body essentially becomes a “habitat for the child,” but the signs of pregnancy are not uniform.

For some women, symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and breast tenderness appear clearly within the first trimester, making early detection easier. However, others may only notice changes much later, even into the third trimester.

In cases where a woman has a regular menstrual cycle, it is often easier to identify missed periods as an early indicator of pregnancy, though symptom variation remains common across individuals.

Police commanders have yet to publicly clarify at what exact stage the forged certificates, fake IDs, and criminal histories were discovered, or whether investigations have been launched into officers involved in the recruitment process.