A Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruit collapsed and died under mysterious circumstances in Malindi, Kilifi County.
Reports indicate that the hopeful, whose identity has not been revealed, collapsed during a run at Alaskan grounds
Senior Recruiting Officer, Lt. Colonel Joseph Nzioka told reporters that the candidate was taken to Tawfique Hospital where he passed away.
The grounds are known to be notorious for the warm temperatures and high humidity that makes it extremely challenging for recruits.
In an earlier recruitment exercise, some candidates collapsed upon completing the race with another becoming hysterical and violent.
Most hopefuls would get disqualified having failed to sustain themselves in the harsh conditions, in one instance, KDF officers had to tie him up with ropes when he got violent.
In this cycle, only one woman made it in the Kwale county recruitment drive after a huge number was turned away in Lunga Lunga, Msambweni and Matuga Sub-counties.
She was among 21 recruits who will be joining the forces from the region, a move that sparked protests over alleged gender-based discrimination.
One of the female candidates who had participated in the exercise stated, “This is almost a fourth time in a row that we are being locked out of the recruitment and it is unfair."
Commenting on the matter, Colonel Nzioka explained that the forces did not discriminate against women.
“We are sensitive to gender parity in line with the Constitution and are striving to be fair to all. We expect to have more slots for women in future and our aim is to eventually get there,” he conveyed.
