Uniforms are just the start: Why Kenya's police service still fails its women
Opinion
By
Wanja Maina
| Sep 07, 2025
If policing in Kenya were ever designed with women in mind, maternity uniforms would have been standard, decades ago.
The fact that we are debating whether pregnant officers deserve uniforms that fit reveals a deeper truth: our police service was never built for women. It was a colonial institution created by men, for men and despite visible strides toward inclusion, women officers continue to navigate structures that remain stubbornly gendered.
The gender imbalance within the NPS is a long-standing issue that should concern every Kenyan. In 2023, UN Women released a report showing a dramatic decrease in the number of female officers. While 14,042 women were registered in the police service in 2018, the figure plummeted to just 7,457 by March 2023. This translates to only 6.9 per cent of the entire police force.
As post-colonial theory reminds us that the police was a colonial institution designed for violence and coercion, not public service. Women’s entry into the force in 1927 was initially symbolic. Despite nearly a century of women in the service, the institution has resisted adapting to them. A pregnant police officer, like all employees, is entitled to legal protections and rights. Yet, for 98 years, we have been debating something as fundamental as a pregnancy uniform.
“Kwa sababu unakuta wanatapika ndani ya helmet. Hivyo ningeomba asilimia iwe ndogo, ili katika kituo kimoja upate wanaume wengi kuliko wanawake.” (Because you find them vomiting inside the helmet. So, I would ask that the percentage be small, so that in a station you find more men than women.)
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These are the direct words of a senior police officer, OCS Isaac Kimutus, who proposed to his superiors, including the Inspector General of Police and the Interior Cabinet Secretary, that female police recruits be limited. While the NPS was quick to distance itself, the truth is his sentiments, though shocking, are far from isolated.
They represent a deep-seated resistance to gender equality in the police force. This lack of institutional support is not just an inconvenience; it is a sign that the police service still operates under the assumption that the default officer is male. It mirrors the patriarchal belief that policing is a male field, a mindset exemplified by the Men Against Women organisation in the Los Angeles Police Department in the 1980s. Kimutus’ remarks are a modern echo of this discriminatory attitude. But this issue is not just about the welfare of female officers. It has significant consequences for all Kenyans. Increasing the number of female officers is a simple solution to police brutality.
Empirical evidence shows women tend to rely on communication and de-escalation tactics, leading to reduced use of excessive force. People also tend to trust female officers more, especially in cases of GBV, a fact recognised by the establishment of gender desks at police stations. An institution with only 6.9 per cent women cannot effectively. Beyond operational issues, female officers face systemic challenges. They are often victims of sexual harassment with little recourse. Trailblazers like Phoebe Asiyo made groundbreaking reforms for women prisoners, but her efforts lacked political goodwill to be fully ingrained. Kenya must learn from global best practices. In Japan, police have maternity jackets with adjustable widths. In London, the Metropolitan Police commissioned students to create functional uniforms for all officers.
The debates about maternity uniforms and the very presence of women are not distractions. They are mirrors reflecting the unfinished business of reform. By dismantling its colonial and patriarchal legacies, Kenya can finally transform its police service into a modern, humane institution, not just for men, not just for women, but for all Kenyans.
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