Newly appointed Senior Counsel Prof. Kivutha Kibwana has generated significant online debate by asserting that disqualifying Kenyans from military service due to tattoos is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

• Kibwana argues this violates Article 27(4) of the Constitution, which protects against discrimination based on conscience, belief, culture, and dress.
• The remarks drew strong opposition from netizens, including former Senator Okongo Mong’are, who maintained that the military's strict standards justify such limitations.
• Some users supported Kibwana, suggesting rigid norms should be relaxed and questioning how tattoos impair performance, citing the heavily tattooed American forces as an example.