Nairobi MPs lose court battle to stop ongoing KDF recruitment exercise

The High Court has declined to suspend the ongoing Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment, ruling that public interest outweighs the concerns raised by Nairobi Members of Parliament over alleged discrimination in the allocation of recruitment centres.

Justice Bahati Mwamuye said stopping the exercise, which began on October 13 and ends on October 25, would undermine the country’s security and defence preparedness.

“The public interest would be significantly compromised if alleged non-compliance in one of 47 counties halted the entire national recruitment,” the judge said, adding that the exercise was meant to strengthen national security.

The case was filed by Nairobi legislators led by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje, Senator Edwin Sifuna and Woman Representative Esther Passaris.

The three argued that Nairobi County had been unfairly treated after being allocated only three recruitment centres to serve 17 sub-counties, unlike other counties where recruitment was being conducted at the sub-county level.

Justice Mwamuye ruled that the petitioners had failed to demonstrate that suspending the recruitment would not compromise national security.

The MPs further argued that since Kenya was not at war, the recruitment could be put on hold until the case was determined. But the court disagreed, saying maintaining defence capacity and readiness remained critical at all times.

“The petitioners have not met the requisite threshold, and public interest favours declining the orders sought,” Justice Mwamuye ruled, while noting that the issues raised were arguable and would be addressed during the full hearing of the case.

Meanwhile, the KDF has rolled out a fully digital recruitment system for the 2025 intake, in a bid to enhance transparency, eliminate fraud and ensure fairness in the selection process.

Gabriel Kotikot, Senior Recruiting Officer for Murang’a East, said the new system automates the entire recruitment workflow from document verification to notifying successful candidates without human interference.

“By using the new scanner, we are able to know the number of candidates who have applied. Now, what we do is scan all the documents, upload them into the system, and give all the documents to the candidates,” Kotikot said.

“Within the system, there is a workflow for the clerk who uploads the documents. After that, the doctor fills out the medical examination results, and the recruiting officer confirms that the documents are in order.”

According to Kotikot, the system tracks every stage of the recruitment process, enabling supervisors to monitor the work of clerks, medical officers and recruitment staff. Once verification is complete, the system automatically selects successful candidates and sends them calling letters via email and SMS.

“All this is just to eliminate any human manipulation. So the system does everything for us,” he said.

Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya said the new digital process is part of broader efforts by the ministry to ensure integrity and fairness during the recruitment exercise.

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Tuya reaffirmed the ministry’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, saying the exercise is vital to replenishing KDF ranks, expanding new units and strengthening the country’s defence capabilities.

“The recruitment exercise will strictly follow the Constitution, guaranteeing fairness, inclusivity, and representation from all 47 counties. This process is not just about filling positions. It’s about finding disciplined, patriotic young Kenyans ready to serve their country with courage and commitment,” she said.

Tuya added that the Defence Ministry is working with the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and the National Intelligence Service to safeguard the integrity of the recruitment.

She warned candidates against offering bribes or using intermediaries, saying anyone found attempting to influence the process would be disqualified and prosecuted.

Vice Chief of the Defence Forces Lieutenant General John Omenda also cautioned that any recruitment conducted outside the official timeline would be considered illegal.

“The recruitment officially begins today. Anyone claiming to have been recruited before this date has been misled. Any exercise outside the set timeline is illegal and not sanctioned by the KDF,” he said.

The 2025 recruitment covers several categories, including General Service Officer (GSO) Cadets (Regular and Graduate), Specialist Officers, General Duty Recruits, Tradesmen and women and Defence Forces Constables.

Each category has specific academic and physical requirements. GSO Cadets must have at least a KCSE mean grade of B (plain) with a minimum of C+ in English, Mathematics, and one science subject. Specialist Officers are required to hold relevant degrees and be registered with their respective professional bodies where applicable.

For physical requirements, male applicants must be at least 1.60 metres tall and weigh not less than 54.55 kilograms, while female applicants must be at least 1.52 metres tall and weigh a minimum of 50 kilograms. Female candidates must not be pregnant during recruitment or training, and all applicants must meet KDF’s medical fitness standards.