55 Arrested While Reporting for KDF Training

55 youth who had turned up for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) training were arrested after they presented fake documents.

The officers at the Moi Barracks Recruits Training School in Eldoret stated that they were on high alert against people masquerading as recruits by submitting fake calling letters to join the service.

Confirming the arrests was Chief recruiting officer Brigadier Peter Muteti who stated that the exercise commenced on Wednesday, April 8.

"The ones who were nabbed were from different parts of the country. It is likely we will catch more as they continue reporting," he stated.

KDF officers at a barracks in Kenya

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Those who were identified to have fake letters were separated from the genuine recruits and later presented to the police.

Brigadier Muteti added that falsification of documents was not a vice that was tolerated by the service.

The KDF recruitment was conducted earlier in 2021 which saw attempts of bribery with recruits willing to pay up to Kh500,000 to get a slot.

Several recruits as well as officers were arrested for engaging in bribery during the exercise.

Senator Ledama OleKina had in February stated that corruption during the exercise had ruined the whole essence of the recruitment drive and was now a waste of the country's resources.

"Whenever there's a recruitment drive, people allege that they pay bribes from Ksh 300,000, with some senior officers demanding up to Ksh 700,000 to enlist recruits into the military. This is not only criminal but a threat to our national security," he observed.

Senior Medical Officer Colonel James Mwika revealed that a number of recruits were eliminated in the recruitment after failing the medical check-up phase which he attributed to drug abuse among young people.

He stated that the habits led to positive toxicology results as well positive tests for HIV, STIs and pregnancies among a number of recruits.

"It is your responsibility to shy away from recreational drugs and premarital sex," he urged the successful candidates.

A KDF recruitment exercise

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