Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) General Charles Kahariri has urged recruitment officers to uphold integrity, transparency and professionalism as the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) embarks on its nationwide recruitment exercise.
Speaking during a briefing session on Thursday at Defence Headquarters, Nairobi, General Kahariri noted that the trust and confidence of Kenyans in the military depends on a fair and merit-based process.
He said KDF has incorporated technology in the process to further enhance verification of applicants and eliminate opportunity for mal-practice.
“The reputation of the KDF has been built over decades of discipline and service to the nation,” he said.
“This exercise must reflect our core values of integrity, patriotism, and excellence. Technology is now at the heart of our recruitment process, and it is our duty to ensure it is used effectively to eliminate human interference and corruption.”
He warned that any officer found engaging in activities that disparage the conduct of the exercise of an immediate and severe disciplinary action.
He opined that corruption undermines national security by compromising the quality of personnel joining the Force.
General Kahariri reminded officers that the public is watching and expects the KDF to remain a symbol of integrity and national unity.
Commander Kenya Army, Lieutenant General David Ketter, echoed the CDF’s sentiments, stressing the critical role of recruitment officers as the first link between the KDF and the public.
He urged recruiting officers to ensure successful candidates are selected purely on merit.
Assistant Chief of Defence Forces in charge of Personnel and Logistics, Major General Edward Rugendo, highlighted that digital data management systems would be used to record recruitment progress in real time thus, guaranteeing fairness across all stations.
The upcoming recruitment exercise, scheduled to take place across all counties from October 13 to 25, 2025.
The 2025 intake includes openings for General Service Officer (GSO) Cadets, Specialist Officers, Tradesmen/women, and other specialized roles in fields such as, Education, Engineering, ICT, Mass Communication, Legal, and Supply Chain Management.
The recruitment exercise is free of charge and open to all eligible candidates.
For all applicants, physical standards remain stringent.
Men must be at least 1.60m tall and weigh at least 54.55kg, while women must be at least 1.52m tall and weigh 50kg or more.
Applicants must have a clean criminal record, and women should not be pregnant during recruitment or training.
Tattoos and dental health will also be checked as part of the selection.
Applicants are required to apply exclusively online at https://recruit.mod.go.ke before the deadline of 12th October 2025, and must submit their original and four copies of their national ID, KRA PIN certificate, and academic certificates.
