KDF female recruits criticise move to lock them out

**Kenya Defence Forces recruitment** **exercise at Kapkures grounds in Nakuru County on August 29, 2023.** [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

A section of female recruits who turned up for the ongoing Kenya Defence Forces recruitment in Nandi Hills have protested against a move to lock them out of the exercise.

More than 500 young women who were on Tuesday turned away said the officers in charge of the process only opted for men.

They endured the chilly weather to arrive at Nandi Hills stadium on Tuesday morning, expecting to secure KDF slots.

However, they were disappointed when the officers overseeing the exercise prevented them from contesting for the limited slots reserved for the women in the forces.

Caroline Jepkemboi said her dream of joining KDF was shuttered when they were omitted from the rigorous recruitment, adding that it violated their constitutional right to be cnsidered.

“I have been waiting for the opportunity to join KDF which has been something I am passionately interested in as a career path. It is so unfair to learn that the female slots in the KDF recruitment drive are quite limited.”

Jepkemboi said the recruitment process is biased and discriminatory. She said women should be treated like men and given the same number of slots.

Caroline Chepng’etich, a Form Four leaver, said her parents could not afford to pay her college school fees and she was hopeful that joining KDF would be the only employment opportunity she could bet on.

“It’s challenging to get employment in the country at the moment, and such government opportunities would have made a difference if they were available for more youths. The government has been championing gender equality but seems to not apply it when it comes to joining the forces,” she said.

Ten recruits were qualified for the process in Nandi Hills, Lt Cl Isaiah Ongesa said, adding that female participants were excluded since the county had only three slots for female recruits.

“The women should not give up or get demoralised for being locked out of this year’s exercise. We still have next year. They can try then,” he said.