A senior recruitment officer attached to Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has raised concerns over clueless recruits showing up to join the force.
Speaking to the press in Narok on Thursday, the officer noted that the county had recorded a lower turnout compared to previous recruitment drives.
He further revealed that the few candidates who showed up for the exercise lacked the necessary documents and were unaware of the mandatory requirements to join the force.
Consequently, the team had to send the recruits away to fetch the necessary documents.
"We noticed that most of the candidates were not aware of the documents that they were supposed to come with. Immediately we arrived here at 6:00am, we alerted them to go and fetch them (documents)," stated the officer.
"It seems that the information trickled down well. As a senior recruiting officer, I would like to request local administration and leaders that whenever we have such an exercise, it is good to ensure that at every level. the population is well advised."
Due to the low turnout, some centers have resorted to easing the tough recruitment requirements.
In Naivasha, recruiting officers no longer consider teeth discoloration as a hindrance for recruitment, thereby opening the opportunity for hundreds of youth to join the KDF.
Lieutenant Colonel Pius Leshan, who was in charge of the exercise, indicated that most of the candidates had passed all the other tests and were just being held back by their discoloured teeth. The qualification tests included; physical, mental, age, and academic examinations.
“KDF conducts a thorough security and identity check on all the recruits to tame infiltration into the service by indoctrinated officers with ill intentions for the country,” the recruiter stated.
Requirements
The recruitment exercise was launched by Lieutenant General Jonah Mwangi, the Vice Chief of Defence Forces (VCDF) at the Defence Headquarters, Nairobi on Tuesday, August 29.
In his address, the VCDF disclosed that the recruitment shall be conducted between 8.00am and 5.00pm daily in 374 centers across all 47 counties.
“To all aspiring candidates, be mindful that this is not a job but a calling. Every single day, the men and women in uniform renew their commitment to serve humanity and this is the conscious choice you’re just about to make," cautioned Mwangi.
“Shortlisting of the candidates is only the first step in the process considering that the physical verification of documents and medical examinations based on military benchmarks shall be conducted thereafter."
The recruits are often expected to carry their National Identity card, be 26 years or below, maintain skin health and carry academic qualifications depending on the positions they seek to join.
The exercise will run until Friday, September 8, 2023.
