Opinion: Are mandatory medicals necessary before police hiring?

Yes, many untimely deaths have been witnessed in most recruitment exercises and should not be taken for granted.

The recent death witnessed in Webuye East, Bungoma County, after a 27-year-old woman recruit collapsed while participating in a the physical exercise should send a strong message to the disciplined forces that it is timely for them to conduct mandatory medicals before recruitment.

Over the years, recruits have been subjected to medicals after concluding the exercise late in the evening and the narrative should change so that they are scrutinised prior to the process.
Concerns have also been raised over failure by medics to arrive on time and assist victims while at the field, hence such deaths.

In order to save lives, all recruits should take a personal initiative and arm themselves with a certified report from their doctors before engaging in any exercise.

The move would be used to determine who is fit and who is not. Generally, most recruits suffering from common ailments such as diabetes and poor eyesight can be isolated when a mandatory medical assessment is carried out.

The only challenge is continued bribery that locks out potential candidates and given a platform to those who cannot make it. Even as we encourage mandatory medical examination, we should seal all loopholes so that the results given to the officers are up to date and verifiable.

We do not want a situation where unfit people are taken in. Recruiting officers should live up to their constant promise of ensuring the process is free and fair.

Major (Rtd) Seii is Kalenjin Council of Elders Chair emeritus