• Officer in charge of recruitments says those who showed did not qualify, those who claimed to did not have proof.
• Female candidates turned away as 'they would be considered elsewhere within the department'.
The KDF on Monday failed to recruit candidates who were given priority in Homa Bay.
The Ministry of Defence had prioritised candidates who studied Physics in secondary school and those who had served in KDF and the National Youth Service.
However, the majority of the candidates who showed up for recruitment did not meet the requirements prescribed.
KDF officials had to recruit candidates who would serve in general duties.
Lieutenant Colonel Said Dhadho, who is in charge of recruitment in Homa Bay, said most candidates did not take Physics as a subject and have not served in KDF and NYS.
“Ex-soldiers would have been given priority to rejoin the service as well as NYS officers. The people who turned up for recruitment did not meet the prioritised qualifications,” Dhadho said.
Some candidates claimed to have been in NYS but could not show proof, Dhadho said.
Recruitments are done in 14 centres in the county including Ndhiwa, Magunga, Mbita, Kendu Bay, Kosele, Homa Bay town and Kadongo.
Dhadho said Physics would enable recruits to be trained on aircraft maintenance and other mechanical activities.
“We realised that the candidates who showed up dropped Physics in high school. We’re going to absorb other candidates, but they will be trained in any other duties when they join KDF,” the officer said.
During the recruitment, female candidates who expressed interest in joining KDF were turned away after being told they would not be picked.
According to Dhadho, the Department of Defence issued a directive that only male candidates were to be recruited.
“We did not engage the female candidates in any activity because they are going to be considered elsewhere within the department."