Military recruitment starts as DoD warns of marauding conmen

KDF recruitment exercise at Kibos primary school in Kisumu county. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/Standard)

The national military recruitment started Monday with a warning of conmen on the loose out to dupe unsuspecting Kenyans.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) seeks to recruit more than 2,000 general recruits, constabularies and tradesmen in the exercise that will end on October 18.

Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Joseph Kasaon warned there are conmen waiting to obtain money in the pretext of helping Kenyans to join the military.

Lt Gen Kasaon said the exercise is free of charge and warned those involved in corruption would be arrested and prosecuted.

"The recruitment exercise will be conducted in all constituencies and is free of charge. We do not tolerate corruption and let Kenyans be warned of the cons out there," said Lt Gen Kasaon.

He added they had invited various organisations including National Intelligence Service, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and Civil Society Organisation Transparency International to observe the exercise as part of efforts to ensure transparency.

Lt Gen Kasaon said cases of corruption during recruitment programmes have been declining due to various measures put in place. He said last year, there were five cases of corruption involving five people and Sh2 million was paid as bribes as compared to 2014 where 16 people who were involved and Sh4 million transacted. In 2013, Sh5 million was paid as bribes by various parties.

"All those involved were arrested and their cases are in different stages of prosecution by both the military and civilian police," he said.

He made the revelations at the Kenya Army headquarters when he launched the exercise. He revealed that 16 supervisors of in the rank of Lt Colonel will oversee the exercise.

Those seeking to join as general recruits need to have scored a mean grade of D plain and above, be aged between 18 and 26 years while for constabularies, they have to be below 55 years, have no criminal record, be ex-KDF members and must have served for at least nine years' colour service.

KDF is looking for various tradesmen with diploma in aeronautical engineering, automotive engineering, mass communication, psychology, education, telecommunication engineering, community oral health, marine engineering among other areas.

Lt Gen Kasaon said there will be equitable allocation of slots in all counties and pledged fairness and gender equity.

Tuesday, the exercise is set to take place in Kieni West, Laikipia West, Embu West, Samburu East, Kipkelion, Transmara West, Samia, Kipkomo, Msambweni, Ijara, Tana Delta, Lari and Taita.