NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has officially launched the 2025 Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment drive, unveiling a new set of rules designed to restore integrity, transparency, and merit in the military enlistment process.
Speaking at the KDF Headquarters in Nairobi on October 13, Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya said the recruitment exercise marks a turning point in how Kenya selects its servicemen and women.
She stressed that the ministry will not tolerate the corruption and favoritism that have long tainted the process.
“We are flagging off this exercise with a clear message: the Kenya Defence Forces recruitment is free, fair, and open to all eligible Kenyans,” Tuya declared. “Any form of bribery or canvassing will be met with arrest and prosecution.”
Tuya revealed that the ministry has received reports of fraudsters masquerading as KDF officers, complete with fake uniforms and forged documents.
She urged Kenyans to be vigilant and to verify all recruitment information through official channels.
The two-week countrywide KDF recruitment exercise, which begins today, seeks to replenish KDF ranks to offset natural attrition, expand new units, and integrate specialized capabilities within the Force to enhance our operational readiness.The Ministry of Defence is committed
Under the new guidelines, the recruitment will follow a hybrid model combining both online and physical applications. Positions for General Service Officer (GSO) Cadets, Specialist Officers, and Tradesmen and women will be applied for online via the portal recruit.mod.go.ke.
Meanwhile, physical recruitment will be conducted at gazetted centres across all 47 counties for General Duty Recruits and Defence Forces Constables.
Tuya emphasized that no payment is required at any stage of the process and warned that anyone caught engaging in bribery or influence-peddling would face prosecution. Official recruitment notices will only be published on the Ministry of Defence website, KDF’s verified social media pages, and national newspapers.
She cautioned the public against trusting information shared through WhatsApp, Facebook, or unofficial posters, which have often been used in scams.
Applicants must be Kenyan citizens with valid national ID cards and are required to present original documents, along with four copies of their ID, KRA PIN certificate, and academic certificates.
The exercise comes with strict eligibility criteria: candidates for General Service Officer (GSO) Cadets and General Duty Recruits must be aged between 18 and 26 years, while Specialist Officers and Tradesmen or women must be 30 years or younger.
Chaplains and Imams are eligible up to 39 years, and Defence Forces Constables — drawn from retired KDF or National Youth Service personnel — must be between 30 and 55 years.
All candidates must meet defined physical and medical standards. Male applicants must be at least 1.60 metres tall and weigh no less than 54.55 kilograms, while females must be at least 1.52 metres tall and weigh no less than 50 kilograms.
All must maintain a Body Mass Index (BMI) below 30, and female applicants must not be pregnant during recruitment or training.
Academic qualifications will also be scrutinized. Applicants for GSO Cadets (Regular) must have a KCSE mean grade of B (Plain) with at least a C+ in English, Mathematics, and one science subject, while graduate cadets must hold a recognized bachelor’s degree.
Specialist Officers are required to possess degrees relevant to their fields and be registered with professional bodies.
For General Duty Recruits, the minimum requirement is a KCSE mean grade of D (Plain), while Tradesmen and women must have at least a D+ and two years of post-training experience.
To promote accountability, the Ministry of Defence has established two official hotlines — 0726 419 706 and 0726 419 709 — for citizens to report any cases of fraud, bribery, or malpractice during the exercise.
Tuya reiterated that the government will not compromise on integrity, noting that candidates will be disqualified for submitting false documents, engaging in corruption, failing medical tests, or having criminal records.
Female candidates found pregnant during recruitment or training will also be disqualified.
Closing her address, Tuya called on Kenyans to approach the exercise with national pride and discipline.
“Let this be a moment of pride, not fear. The KDF stands for discipline, dignity, and duty — and every recruit must reflect those values,” she said.
