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Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has revealed that the government is working on a new Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment system to prevent fraud and ensure fairness. 

She made this announcement while addressing the Senate on Wednesday, March 19.

Tuya stated that fraudsters have been taking advantage of Kenyans by issuing fake recruitment notices and impersonating senior military officers.

"Sometime late last year, we got a fully fledged notification of recruitment with all the logos of the KDF and the Ministry [of Defence] published out there, and we had no such recruitment going on," she explained.

She went on to reveal that some individuals have even been dressing as high-ranking military officers to deceive the public.

"Actually, we have Kenyans masquerading as generals out there with full uniform, full ranks, and the like," Tuya added.

To solve these issues, the Defence Cabinet Secretary assured the Senate that a more secure and transparent recruitment process is being developed.

"The Defence Council, which I chair, is currently working on a watertight system of recruitment because one of the key principles of national security is that the recruitment of the national security organs must reflect the diversity of Kenyans and must be in equitable proportions," she said.

The changes will ensure that the process is fair and represents all communities in Kenya.

This announcement comes shortly after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen also shared plans to improve police recruitment. 

On March 6, while speaking at the General Service Unit (GSU) Headquarters, Murkomen emphasized the need to use technology in the next police recruitment exercise.

"Because it was the recommendation of the taskforce, we are also going to do recruitment in a more transparent manner.

We are working with the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) to make sure that technology is deployed to protect our citizens," Murkomen stated.

He explained that this system will help eliminate cases where Kenyans are tricked into paying for recruitment slots.

"It will also make sure that nobody is conned and ensure that all citizens of this country see a more transparent exercise," he added.

The proposed changes in both the KDF and police recruitment systems follow recommendations from a task force led by former Chief Justice David Maraga. 

The team had advised that automation would help reduce corruption and ensure only qualified candidates are selected.