Meru Man Who's Attempted 11 Times To Join KDF Locked Out Again: "Nimebaki Na Mawazo"

• The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) nationwide recruitment exercise kicked off on Monday, August 28, in 31 counties
• Kenyan youth showed up at the KDF recruitment centres early in the morning ready to showcase what they had to offer
• However, Kelvin Muriithi from Meru county left the recruitment centre disappointed after he was shown the door

Meru - On Monday, August 28, thousands of Kenyans trooped to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment centres to take a shot at joining the military as the nationwide recruitment exercise kicked off.

Day one of the recruitment took place in several centres across 31 counties which are part of the 374 recruitment centres across the 47 devolved units.

Citizen TV reported that the youths showed up at the recruitment centres early in the morning ready to showcase what they had to offer.

For most, a chance to join the military is a childhood dream but some like Kelvin Muriithi from Meru county left the recruitment centres disappointed after he was shown the door on his 11th attempt at joining the KDF.

"Wakati niliingia uwanjani wakasema if at all umecelebrate birthday yako ya 26th hufai huwa uwanjani na hicho ndio kitu kilinitoa kwa leo sasa nikakuwa na mawazo mengi (When I got to the centre, they told us if we were above 26 years old to leave and this left me heartbroken)," said Muriithi.

At Katembe stadium in Kisii county, hundreds showed up to try their luck and for those who did not make the cut, it was painful.

Some, even called for a review of the selection criteria.

Why Lamu, Meru women were turned away

Elsewhere, hundreds of women who turned up for the recruitment drive in parts of Meru and Lamu were disappointed after the recruiting officers turned them down for various reasons.

"We will not be recruiting the ladies today, the reason being that according to national statistics, in this recruitment station already we have enough personnel from this area therefore it is unfortunate we will not be recruiting ladies here," said Lieutenant Colonel Hamisi Msagha, Senior Recruiting Officer, Lamu Central.

How KDF recruitment went by in Turkana

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that residents of Turkana turned up in large numbers for the much-anticipated 2023 KDF recruitment exercise.

Speaking to journalists after failing to meet the cut on Monday, August 28, the unidentified lady revealed he was the first to reach the grounds for the recruitment.

She explained that one of the recruiters asked them to move into an area where they were divided between those from Kerio and Central.

The furious lady added that they were asked if they had certain documents, also used to reduce the number.