A 23-year-old police recruit, Alfas Kimutai Kiptoo, has died after collapsing during a routine morning run near the National Police Service training campus in Kiganjo, Nyeri County.
The incident occurred on the morning of February 5 as recruits were undertaking a scheduled physical training exercise along the Kiganjo–King’ongo Road.
According to a police report, Kiptoo was running with fellow trainees when he suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness.
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Training instructors and fellow recruits immediately halted the exercise and rushed to his aid.
He was first taken to the college dispensary, where officers trained in first aid attempted to stabilize him before arrangements were made to transfer him to hospital for further treatment.
Kiptoo was rushed to Mathari Mission Hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. Police said his body was moved to the hospital mortuary, where it is being preserved pending a postmortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
Investigators have indicated that attention is being given to the possibility of an underlying medical condition, although no official conclusion has been reached.
Earlier Nyeri Incident Raises Safety Concerns
Kiptoo’s death is the second tragic incident involving police recruits in Nyeri County this year. On January 23, 2026, one recruit was killed and at least 24 others injured when a vehicle rammed into trainees during a morning run along the Marua–Chaka Road, near the Kiganjo training campus.
That accident raised serious concerns over the safety of recruits during outdoor training exercises, particularly on public roads.
The recent deaths have sparked public concern and renewed calls from human rights groups and members of the public for improved medical screening before recruitment, closer monitoring during intense physical training, and stronger emergency response systems at training institutions.
Authorities say investigations into all the cases are ongoing and that further updates will be released once postmortem examinations and inquiries are completed.
Other Training-Related Deaths Recorded Nationwide
Kiptoo’s death has also drawn attention to a series of training-related fatalities involving Kenya’s security services since late January 2026.
In Kajiado County, a General Service Unit recruit died in Magadi after collapsing during a training exercise at the GSU Field Campus.
The recruit was rushed to Magadi Hospital and later referred to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a separate incident, three Kenya Defence Forces recruits died in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, after developing medical complications during a routine endurance training exercise at the Defence Forces Recruits Training School.
The military said first aid was administered on site before the recruits were taken to Eldoret Regional Hospital, but all three were pronounced dead.
The deaths bring the total number of training-related fatalities across the police, GSU, and KDF to five recruits within a period of just over one week.
Police Recruitment and Training
Kiptoo was among thousands of young Kenyans recruited into the National Police Service during the nationwide recruitment exercise conducted in November 2025.
Candidates were selected after meeting physical, academic, and medical requirements and were later posted to various police training colleges, including the Kiganjo Police Training Campus.
The recruits reported for training in December, with the Basic Recruit Training Course officially beginning on December 16, 2025, following its launch by the Inspector-General of Police.
The nine-month programme includes physical fitness training, discipline drills, classroom lessons, weapons handling, and basic policing skills.
Recruits who successfully complete the course are expected to graduate around September 2026 and be deployed across the country.