NPS defends dismissal of 18 pregnant recruits amid backlash

Eighteen female recruits discharged from the National Police College in Kiganjo after pregnancy tests returned positive results have become the focal point of a heated national debate about gender rights within Kenya's security services, drawing condemnation from women's rights organisations and a number of legislators.

The National Police Service maintained this week that the dismissals were lawful, citing standing regulations that prohibit pregnancy during the initial training period. Spokespersons for the NPS argued that recruits sign binding declarations at enrolment acknowledging the conditions of service, and that the college environment and physical demands of the programme make accommodation of pregnancies operationally impossible.

That position has been sharply rejected by advocacy groups including the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya, known as FIDA Kenya, who argue the policy constitutes discrimination on the basis of sex and reproductive status in direct violation of Article 27 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law regardless of gender. The National Gender and Equality Commission has indicated it may open a formal inquiry.

The controversy sits within a broader conversation about the treatment of women in Kenya's uniformed services. Female officers have previously raised concerns about harassment during training, limited promotion pathways and inadequate maternity provisions once in active service. A 2023 parliamentary audit found women made up fewer than 18 percent of the total NPS establishment, a figure the service has pledged to improve through targeted recruitment.

The affected recruits, some of whom have retained legal counsel, are reportedly considering an appeal to the Employment and Labour Relations Court. Legal observers say the case could set a significant precedent on the limits of institutional policy when it conflicts with constitutional protections.