The family of a Garissa University student who collapsed and passed away during a recruitment exercise for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has requested the government to give one of their family members a government job.
Speaking to members of the press on Thursday, October 23, the family of the first-year student noted that the job would uplift the family economically, as their dead loved one was the sole hope of turning the family’s fortunes.
The student’s family disclosed that the student had attended the recruitment exercise in Wajir with the hope of joining the disciplined forces and securing a long-term job.
He is said to have collapsed while doing a physical exercise on Tuesday, October 21 and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors.
Family members described the student as a healthy, hard-working young man from a humble background, determined to secure a better future by working in the KDF.
“We are requesting the government to give one of our family members a job in the government. Our loved one was the sole hope of the family, but now he has passed away,” a family representative noted.
The case is currently before a local police station, with the KDF yet to issue an official statement on the student’s passing.
So far, this is the second case of a KDF hopeful dying in mysterious circumstances during this year’s recruitment, after a 22-year-old Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) student reportedly collapsed while participating in a recruitment exercise held in Kabuchai constituency, Bungoma County.
The student is said to have collapsed while participating in one of the physically demanding training drills that form part of the initial recruitment screening.
Confirming the incident, the Bungoma Police Commander stated that the student was among the tens of other hopefuls participating in a running drill when he collapsed.
“There was a boy who lost consciousness while they were running. He was rushed to Chwele Sub-County Hospital. Sadly, he was pronounced dead upon arrival," he said.
KDF recruitment exercises are known for their intense physical demands, designed to filter out candidates based on their strength, stamina, and resilience.
Drills typically include long-distance runs, push-ups, sit-ups, high jumps, and other endurance tasks conducted under high pressure and strict supervision.
