By Salwa Mahmoud
For many young people in Kenya, joining the Kenya Defence Forces is a dream that carries hope. It is seen as a way out of poverty, a way to serve the country, and to make families proud. But that dream is no longer pure. What should be a fair and honest process has turned into a dirty business. KDF recruitment has become a market where money and connections decide who gets in, not hard work or discipline.
Every year, thousands of young men and women wake up before sunrise, carrying their papers and their dreams. They travel from far places, some from villages where people sell goats or land just to raise transport money. They line up under the hot sun, hearts full of hope. But deep down, many already know the truth that some names have been decided long before the recruitment day.
Before the exercise even starts, whispers go around. People say, “If you want your child to be taken, you must give something.” Others say, “You need to know someone inside.” That is how the system works now. It is painful and unfair. Those with money or powerful relatives are picked easily, while the poor are sent away no matter how fit or qualified they are. The youth who train hard, who believe in honesty, walk back home broken, wondering why their efforts mean nothing.
In towns and villages, there are always people pretending to help. They walk around claiming they know officers who can fix things. They ask for money, promising a guaranteed slot. Some even print fake letters and fake adverts that look real. Families desperate for hope fall into these traps. They borrow money, sell animals, and do anything to get their children in. Later they realize they were conned, but it is too late. The brokers disappear, and the victims are left in shame and debt.
The most painful part is not just the money lost but the trust destroyed. It kills the spirit of hard work. It teaches young people that honesty does not pay and that corruption is the only way to succeed. It leaves the poor believing that their dreams are not valid unless they can buy them. How can a country grow when the only thing that moves people forward is money and connections?
When people buy their way into the forces, the whole system is weakened. Those who enter through bribery do not respect the uniform or the people they serve. It destroys the discipline and loyalty that the army is known for. The country loses because the people who truly deserve to serve are left behind. It is not only unfair, it is dangerous.
Parents suffer the most. Some sell their land, others take loans, believing it will change their children’s lives. When they realize it was all a lie, they are left empty and heartbroken. These are real stories from every part of Kenya, whispered quietly after every recruitment. But no one listens. It has become normal to bribe, and that is what makes it even more painful.
This is not the Kenya we should accept. Recruitment should be fair and honest. The process should be open to everyone, without favoritism or secret deals. People should apply and be chosen based on their ability, not their pockets. The government must make it clear that giving money to anyone during recruitment is a crime. Those who exploit the youth should be punished.
KDF should stand for fairness, not corruption. It should represent discipline, not deceit. The youth of this country deserve a chance to serve without being forced to buy their way in. It is shameful that a dream to defend the nation has turned into a business. Until things change, the uniform will remain a symbol not of pride but of injustice, a reminder that in Kenya, even dreams are for sale.
