Pregnant female recruits were discontinued before training began, NPS clarifies

The National Police Service has clarified that several female recruits recently discontinued from the National Police College Main Campus in Kiganjo were found pregnant shortly after reporting for training and did not conceive while at the institution.

In a statement released by the Office of the Inspector General on Saturday, the police service rejected social media claims alleging that the pregnancies resulted from fraternisation within the college.

“The National Police Service has noted with concern the misleading narratives circulating on social media and among sections of the public regarding the recent discontinuation of several female recruits at the National Police College, Main Campus, Kiganjo,” NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said.

The NPS said the affected recruits were discontinued within the first month after joining the college and maintained that the pregnancies predated their admission into the training programme.

“Given the known duration of human gestation, conception in these cases must have occurred before the recruits reported to the College — specifically, during the period immediately after receiving their recruitment letters and prior to reporting for training,” the statement added.

The police service explained that all female recruits undergo mandatory pregnancy screening upon arrival at the college as part of standard medical assessment procedures.

According to the statement, recruits who initially test positive are subjected to a second confirmatory test at a government medical facility in Nyeri before any administrative action is taken.

“To ensure accuracy and fairness, any recruit who tests positive in the initial test is immediately subjected to a confirmatory second test,” the NPS said.

It added that only recruits who test positive on both occasions are discontinued from the programme.

The police service defended the procedure as necessary for the safety of both the recruits and unborn children, citing the physically demanding nature of police training.

“This programme includes demanding drills, obstacle courses, and firearms training — conditions that pose serious risks to both a pregnant recruit and her unborn child,” the statement read.

The NPS further clarified that discontinuation on medical grounds should not be interpreted as disciplinary punishment or misconduct.

“Discontinuation on medical grounds is neither a punishment nor a dismissal for misconduct. It is a standard administrative procedure intended to safeguard the health of both mother and child,” the service stated.

At the same time, the police service strongly denied allegations that there had been inappropriate interaction between recruits within the college.

According to the statement, security and supervision measures at Kiganjo are strict, with male and female recruits only interacting during official training activities under instructor supervision.

“There is no unsupervised mingling or private interaction between recruits,” the NPS said.

The police service argued that claims suggesting otherwise unfairly undermine the integrity of its training systems and institutional discipline.

“Any suggestion of a lapse in this regard is not only false but also an insult to the integrity of our training protocols,” it added.

The statement comes amid widespread public debate online following reports that several female recruits had been sent home from the institution.

The NPS urged the public to stop spreading what it termed falsehoods capable of damaging the reputation of the college and its officers.

“We urge the public to cease spreading falsehoods that tarnish the reputation of our training institution and its officers,” the statement said.

The service also reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, transparency and gender equality in police recruitment and training.