Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen have weighed in on a debate surrounding the proposed reduction of the number of female police officers in the upcoming recruitment exercise.
Speaking at a public forum where an Officer Commanding Station (OCS) suggested that the number of female recruits be capped at 20%, both IG Kanja and CS Murkomen strongly stressed the need for gender equality in police recruitment.
“You see, during recruitment, they give percentages. But if possible, the number of female recruits should be set at 20%, and the rest should go to men,” the OCS suggested.
The OCS argued that women are less effective during critical operations such as protests, claiming that most of them get overwhelmed.
IG Kanja and Murkomen Stress on Gender Equality
In a quick rebuttal, a female officer dismissed the OCS’s assertions and opposed his proposal, urging IG Kanja and CS Murkomen to consider deploying even more women during such operations. She emphasized that female officers are capable and resilient.
Laikipia North Member of Parliament Sarah Korere also dismissed the OCS’s claims, stating that women are fully capable of withstanding pressure in difficult situations. She shared her own experience, noting that she has two female bodyguards who effectively protect her.
On his part, IG Kanja affirmed that the National Police Service is gender-sensitive and values the contributions of both men and women.
“To all the women here, the National Police is very gender-sensitive. As we move toward recruitment—and we know it is coming soon, as our CS has said—we will include both genders, because each gender has a role to play. When we do it that way, everyone will be well represented,” he said.
He further reiterated that women would not be sidelined in the upcoming police recruitment.
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Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen echoed Kanja’s sentiments, insisting that women must be given equal opportunities as men in the recruitment process.
“You cannot say we cannot hire women. We have a constitutional obligation to reach 30%. Right now, we are only at 14%, and we are still pushing to reach that 30%,” Murkomen stated.
Speaking on a lighter note, Murkomen said the OCS used a bad example to make his point and clarified that the officer had no ill intentions.
“The OCS meant no harm—he just didn’t communicate well. What he was trying to say is that during intense situations involving gunfire or bandits, maybe our female officers shouldn’t be in the direct line of such danger,” Murkomen explained.
The National Police Service recruitment exercise was set to resume in March 2025 after a two-year break.
On December 15, 2024, the Kenyan government announced plans to recruit 5,000 new officers.
On January 10, 2025, Dr. Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary for Internal Security, confirmed that the recruitment would also include cadets joining the police force.
Constitutional Provision on Gender Representation
The Constitution of Kenya (2010), under Article 27(8), provides:
“The State shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender.”
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This means that at least one-third (approximately 33%) of police recruits must be either women or men—whichever gender is underrepresented.
This applies to appointments and recruitment in public service, including the National Police Service.
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