Frontier Eye Desk
Garissa, Kenya.
Allegations of bribery and favoritism have tainted the ongoing Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment drive in Balambala Sub-County, with residents claiming that officers are demanding between Sh500,000 and Sh700,000 in bribes for enlistment.
Residents who spoke to Frontier Eye on condition of anonymity said the recruitment process has been reduced to a cash-for-slots affair, denying qualified youth an opportunity to serve their country.
“Slots are given to the highest bidder,” said Hassan Ali (not his real name), a resident who accused recruitment officers of prioritizing money and political influence over merit.
The exercise in Balambala was reportedly conducted by the same team that oversaw last week’s controversial recruitment in Garissa Town, led by Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Maalim.
Residents allege that those who failed to secure slots in Garissa resurfaced in Balambala, using connections and bribes to get in through the backdoor.
The outrage follows the circulation of a viral video from last week’s Garissa recruitment, showing a distraught young man, an accomplished athlete, lamenting how he was unfairly disqualified despite meeting all KDF requirements, including medical, academic, and physical fitness standards.
In the video, the young man, displays his medals and certificates, and accuses officers of sneaking in another recruit “in a car at night” to replace him. His emotional plea to Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya to intervene has since gained massive traction on social media, amplifying calls for transparency in the recruitment process.
“We are crying for justice,” said Hussein Farah, another resident.
“Merit means nothing when money and influential politicians decide who serves in our disciplined forces,” lamented another youth from Balambala.
Recruits undergo assessment during last week’s KDF recruitment exercise in Garissa.
Local activists in Garissa County are now demanding an independent probe into the recruitment, calling on the Ministry of Defence and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the alleged bribery network and hold those responsible to account.
Adding his voice to the growing discontent, Hussein Salat alias Fly, condemned the alleged bribery and called for immediate government intervention.
“We cannot allow this level of corruption to mar the recruitment of our forces,” said Hussein.
He urged Defence CS Soipan Tuya to cancel the entire recruitment in Garissa County and conduct it afresh under stricter supervision to ensure fairness and meritocracy.
The KDF has consistently defended its recruitment process as fair and transparent, warning Kenyans against engaging with fraudsters or corrupt middlemen. However, the mounting allegations from both Garissa and Balambala have deepened public skepticism about integrity within the security sector’s hiring system.
Efforts by Frontier Eye to reach Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Maalim for comment were unsuccessful by press time.
As the backlash intensifies, residents are urging authorities to restore public confidence by ensuring future KDF recruitment exercises are based on merit, fairness, and equal opportunity not financial muscle or political connections