Senators raise alarm over alleged bias in KDF recruitment

Concerns over irregularities in the 2023 Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment have prompted Senators to demand an inquiry into possible malpractice and favoritism.

The Senate’s National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations Committee has been tasked with investigating allegations that some qualified candidates were unfairly locked out of the process.

Kajiado Senator Seki Lenku highlighted the case of Reuben Ngige Muthoni, a candidate from Ngaimurunya in Kajiado North, who was initially shortlisted and issued a confirmation letter but was later excluded without explanation.

“Despite having his biometric and identification documents taken, he has never received any further communication, nor has his identity card returned,” Lenku stated.

The committee is expected to provide a comprehensive report detailing all individuals who were selected, their names, identification details, and home regions.

Additionally, it will examine how the recruitment letters were issued and whether all candidates were treated fairly.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale raised concerns over the ethnic and regional representation within KDF, drawing parallels to a recent High Court ruling on Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) recruitment, where two communities accounted for 57 percent of hired staff.

“This problem is also in KDF. We want our young people to enjoy service to the nation irrespective of where they come from,” Khalwale said.

The 2023 KDF recruitment exercise has faced public backlash, with allegations that a disproportionate number of recruits came from two communities aligned with the government.

Similar claims have surfaced in other sectors, including the Kenya Revenue Authority, where a recruitment exercise was nullified over diversity concerns.

Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba also weighed in, alleging that no candidates from his constituency were recruited.

“Ask the national government administration officers here if they can trace any child from here who got the opportunity to join the forces,” he said, insisting that slots were unfairly allocated to outsiders.

Lawmakers are demanding that the committee determine the exact number of successful recruits from each county and region to establish whether fairness was observed.

They also want clarity on the retention of identification documents and how the recruitment protocols were implemented.

Amid mounting pressure, Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya assured that the government is developing a more transparent and tamper-proof recruitment process.

“We have heard the complaints and murmurs, and we are panel-beating the process to minimize malpractices,” she said, adding that future exercises will be conducted with greater accountability to reflect the country’s diversity.

The Senate committee is expected to table a report with findings and recommendations to ensure that future KDF recruitment exercises are conducted with fairness and transparency.