Military to start listing cadets on September 30

By CYRUS OMBATI

The military will launch a one-month recruitment of cadets on September 30.

The Department of Defence said the exercise is aimed at recruiting more than 2,500 general service personnel.

Vice Chief of the Defence Forces Lt Gen Samson Mwathethe said 16 teams have been formed under Brig Peter Magut to oversee the exercise in all 272 district headquarters.

He said the Chief of the Defence Forces Gen Julius Karangi will lead the exercise to ensure transparency, integrity and accountability.

Lt Gen Mwathethe said successful candidates will be issued with letters on the spot while those who will fail will be informed of the reasons for their failure.

“The successful candidates will be informed on the spot and the exercise will be free of charge,” said Lt Gen Mwathethe.

He warned Kenyans against giving out bribes to be recruited.

The officer said since 2009, Kenyans have been conned of up to Sh35 million by fraudsters claiming they could help them join the service.

“We wish to warn the public not to pay bribes so that they can be recruited. These conmen come with all sorts of names,” he said.

In the last recruitment, more than Sh7 million was paid out as bribes in 22 cases reported.

During the period, 43 military personnel were arrested and dismissed for the involvement in corruption.

Officials from the National Intelligence Service, Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission, media and other organisations have been invited to monitor the exercise.

Lt Gen Mwathethe made the remarks at DoD while in the company of head of personnel Maj-Gen Gordon Kihalangwa, Brig Magut, Brig Philip Lepakio and provost marshal Col Sylvester Chirchir.

He added they would also consider gender by ensuring that one third of the recruits were female. 

The Constitution also requires the Defence forces to reflect the regional and ethnic diversity of the people of Kenya in Article 241(4).

Past recruitments have often been marred by claims of bribery, favouritism, political interference, and unequal distribution of slots across districts.