Police spokesperson disowns call to cut women’s recruitment in service

Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga on Saturday  distanced the National Police Service (NPS) from comments made by a former police instructor earlier this week, who had called for a scaling down in the recruitment of women into the service.

The junior commanding officer had proposed that the recruitment of women should be 20 per cent and the remainder should be men. for better cordination during deployment.

“I was once an instructor at Kiganjo for 15 years. During recruitment, there is a certain percentage reserved for each gender, but if possible, the recruitment of women should be 20 per cent and the remainder should be men," he said.

"This is because, during deployment, like the recent Gen Z protests, I asked all female officers in my jurisdiction in Nyahururu to remain at the stations, as you will find some becoming nauseous on their velvets, which makes it difficult to work. It is better to have more male officers in a station than women, but right now we have stations with 10 female officers and five male officers, which is a big challenge,” he added.

He made these remarks in the presence of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the Inspector General of the National Police Service (IG-NPS), and other senior government officials during the CS’s visit to Laikipia as part of his ongoing Jukwaa la Usalama forums.

His comments sparked widespread criticism across social media platforms, with many describing them as outdated and inconsistent with the principles of modern policing.

In a statement issued this afternoon, Nyaga clarified that the remarks reflected the officer’s personal views and not those of the Service, adding that the CS and IG-NPS had promptly and unequivocally reaffirmed the government’s official position on the matter.

“The NPS remains committed to achieving and upholding the constitutional one-third gender rule in national employment and representation. Notably, a significant number of women officers are serving internationally, an achievement attained through merit, dedication and professional competence, not chance. As a Service, we deeply appreciate the contributions of all officers, both men and women, who tirelessly dedicate themselves to ensuring the safety and security of Kenyans, visitors and investors in the country,” he said.

Modern policing, he added, requires the deliberate recruitment, retention and promotion of women as part of efforts to build a more inclusive, community-sensitive and effective police service.

“The NPS further emphasises that the officer’s remarks were personal and do not reflect the official stance of the government. Women in the Service continue to play a critical role in policing, law enforcement and professional service delivery across the Republic and beyond,” the Spokesperson added.

Justice (Rtd) David Maraga’s Taskforce on Police and Prison Reforms previously noted a glaring illegality in the NPS recruitment process, which had failed to fully observe the gender requirements stipulated by law.

“The 2022 gender composition of the NPS shows that male officers made up 86 per cent of the Service, while female officers comprised just 14 per cent. There is no woman in the top leadership of the NPS, as the Inspector General, the Director of Criminal Investigations, and the two Deputy Inspector-Generals are all men,” the report stated.

The Taskforce found that the minimal representation of women at senior levels had contributed to the persistent challenge of appointing women to the highest ranks, such as IG, Director DCI or DIGs.

“This could be attributed to the amendment of the former Section 14 of the NPS Act, which removed the requirement for at least one person of the opposite gender among the three senior police commanders. Effectively, the Taskforce finds that the amendment was unconstitutional,” the report recommended.

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