By Brian Gitonga.
Scores of hopeful youths from Meru County turned up today at Kinoru Stadium for the Kenya Prisons Service recruitment drive.
The exercise, part of a nationwide recruitment effort for prison constables, attracted a mix of young men and women, all eager to secure one of the limited slots.
After undergoing a series of physical fitness assessments and document verification, five candidates — four men and one woman — were successfully selected.
The drive, held in Imenti North Constituency, was scheduled to begin at 8:00 am but faced delays due to access challenges encountered by the recruiting officers.
Despite the setback, the youth waited patiently, and the exercise eventually proceeded smoothly after the issue was resolved.
While addressing the recruits before the commencement of the exercise, SSP Cyrus Kamau, the officer in charge, stated that the recruitment aimed to select four males and one female.
He also urged some of the anxious parents who had accompanied their children to be patient and not interfere with the process.
“If you have accompanied your child to this exercise, please sit at the dais and wait for the exercise to complete. The last thing I want to tell you is that here in Imenti North Sub-county, at Kinoru Stadium, we want four males and one female, according to the orders given,” said SSP Kamau.
Among those selected was Yvonne Kinya, who has been trying to join the service since completing secondary school three years ago. With only a few months left before she turns 28 — the maximum age for recruits — her persistence finally paid off.
“I feel so happy today having been selected as the only female. I have been trying for the last three years, with each attempt being unsuccessful. With just a few months remaining until I hit the age limit of 28 years, I thank God for this opportunity,” she said.
Another successful candidate was Brian Mwenda Muriuki, a student at Meru University pursuing automotive engineering.
He has attempted to join the service for the past two years.
“I’m a student at Meru University studying automotive engineering. I have been trying my luck for the last two years, and this is my lucky year. Getting a job in Kenya is tough, and I am really thankful to have been selected out of all the candidates that were here today,” he said.
Applicants were required to be Kenyan citizens with valid national identity cards, have no criminal record, and possess a minimum grade of D+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Candidates had to be between 18 and 28 years old. Male applicants were expected to be at least 5 feet 4 inches tall, while female applicants needed to be at least 5 feet 2 inches tall.
All recruits had to be physically and mentally fit, with good hearing and clear vision.
Female candidates were also required not to be pregnant at the time of recruitment or during the initial training period.
As the exercise concluded, many who did not qualify expressed disappointment.
However, SSP Kamau encouraged them not to lose hope and to try again in future recruitment exercises.
