By Magdalene Mukami
NAIROBI
Kenyans turned up in large numbers on Monday to participate in a police recruitment drive being carried out in 290 constituencies across the East African country.
The Anadolu Agency visited one of the recruitment centers at Nyayo Stadium in capital Nairobi where more than 1,400 applicants had turned up.
"So far turnout is very good," Rashid Mohammed, police commander for the Dagoretti Area, told AA. "We have already received over 1,400 applicants."
The police plan to recruit 6,000 new officers for the police service, along with 4,000 new police administrators.
"This year's recruitment is timely," said Mohammed. "Our country needs police officers to be able to effectively counter Al-Shabaab attacks."
At least 148 people – mostly students – were killed earlier this month in a devastating attack on northern Kenya's Garissa University College.
Somalia's Al-Shabaab group swiftly claimed responsibility for the carnage.
The Al-Qaeda-linked group has vowed to carry out attacks in Kenya as long as the East African country maintains a military presence in neighboring Somalia.
"We are currently facing a shortage of around 30,000 police officers," said Mohammed.
Following the Garissa attack, President Uhuru Kenyatta overturned a 2014 court order halting the recruitment of 10,000 police officers due to corruption allegations.
Police Inspector-General Joseph Boinett later called for a fresh police recruitment drive in 2015, leaving the 2014 process in court.
The case will be heard on May 8.
Disappointed
Given the large turnout at Nyayo Stadium, many have lost hope of being recruited.
Mohammed, the police boss, said they would recruit 44 regular police officers – 30 men and 14 women – out of 1,000 applicants.
The other 400 are applying for administrative police jobs.
"At this center we are going to recruit 20 males and two females," Senior Police Superintendent Dalmas Otieno, who is in charge of the recruitment process at the administration police recruitment center, told AA.
"Medical parameters and fitness parameters must be fulfilled for one to be recruited," he said.
Otieno asserted that potential recruits' ethnic backgrounds would also be considered.
"We are doing this to mix them up," Otieno told AA. "We don't want to have members of one tribe in a particular place."
Benard Chitayi, 24, had hoped that this year he would be selected to join the Kenya police force.
"Now it's just a dream that will never come true," he told AA.
"I was disqualified because I was missing two of my lower teeth," said Chitayi.
"I am frustrated; I want to join the Kenya police and defend my nation," he added. "We have a shortage of police officers; they shouldn't use such criteria when Kenya needs us."
Bancie Wahome, 23, was no less frustrated.
"We came here for the medical check-up. I passed, the height check I passed. When it came to fitness, I completed the four laps that we were given," Wahome told AA.
"Now they notice that I have some scars on my legs and, just like that, I was disqualified," he fumed.
Michael Sakida, 25, for his part, is optimistic that he would join the police service.
"I have completed everything. I have passed all their tests. All I am waiting for is to see whether I have made the cut or not," he told AA.
