Low turnout was witnessed during recruitment of police officers on Thursday in Murang’a East Sub County.
The recruitment exercise which seeks to employ 5,000 Kenyans countrywide to join the police forces recorded poor turnout as compared to previous years’ exercise.
Speaking during the recruitment exercise at Ihura Stadium, Superintendent of Police Roseline Mapesa who chaired the recruitment panel in the Sub County said considering the exercise was being held in Murang’a town they expected a large turnout of 300 and above.
“I expected a large turnout of 300 and above this being a township area but by 8:00am only 84 candidates had turned up,” said Mapesa
She said that most of the youths who turned up did not meet the required criteria.
The national police service worked together with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, administration police service and Ministries of Education and health to make the recruitment exercise successful.
“Education officer from the Ministry of Education was in charge of verifying the KCSE certificates produced and that the candidate met the requirement of D+ mean score and above and the same grade in both Kiswahili and English,” divulged Mapesa
According to the police superintendent, the recruitment process was free and fair and that those youths who met the stipulated requirements were given a chance to participate in the training
Ephatus Maina, one of local residents said the recruitment process was fair and transparent.
“We were engaged in several activities both physical and medical during the process and transparency was observed as only those who qualified were allowed to proceed to the next round,” said Maina, adding that some of the potential candidates missed out on the required height, while others were not good in physical activities.
However, according to Mapesa only male candidates were being recruited in Murang’a East Sub County.
Today we are only allowed to recruit male candidates despite the fact that the ratio of female to male was low, added Mapesa.
One of the female candidates, Sharon Waceke felt disappointed because she had come early only to learn much later that centre was only meant for male recruits.
“I was here by 7:00a.m ready for the recruitment process, but I was unlucky because only men were considered for today’s exercise,” lamented Waceke.
By Anita Omwenga and Justine Nafula
