Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has announced crucial changes on how the 2024 Kenya National Youth Service (NYS) recruitment process will be conducted to ensure it is fair for all applicants.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 24, Kuria detailed how this year’s recruitment of 15,000 service men and servicewomen will see the introduction of a new selection process.
According to the CS, the government will use of a digital public portal to avoid manipulation during the exercise.
“This is to let everyone know that all the 15,000 service men and servicewomen will be recruited from all the Subcounty Recruitment Centers,” he stated.
Kuria further stated that the introduction of a public portal will see successful candidates know their fate within a short timeline of one hour.
“The successful candidates will be posted in a public portal 1 hour after closure of the exercise,” Kuria said.
In his statement, the Cabinet Secretary was categorical that no corruption shall be allowed as there will be no “special list”.
Kuria: No Special List
CS Kuria further claimed that the physical process will determine the fate of those who will show up as not even him nor the Director General shall provide any special list.
“Not even the Director General not myself as the Cabinet Secretary. Not the President of the Republic of Kenya.
Everyone to battle it out in the field,” Kuria affirmed.
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The Cabinet Secretary went on to state that President Willliam Ruto and him will give the process a fair opportunity as all the youth in the country deserve an opportunity.
However, the announcement by Kuria drew mixed reactions from Kenyans.
Joe Munene lauded the changes noting, “It is your time to go in history books. Yes, it is possible bwana CS, make it happen freely for the first time.
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However, another user went on to highlight the expected number of recruits questioning if the Ministry has enough training facilities.
“Just wondering if the training facilities and all requisite resources needed to accommodate this number of recruits are in place,” Erick Musyoki noted.
The statement by Kuria came a day after NYS advertised the mass recruitment of servicemen and servicewomen.
In a notice on Wednesday, January 24 NYS said the exercise will be conducted countrywide from Monday 5th to Friday 9th February.
“Are you interested in joining the NYS as a Volunteer Serviceman or Servicewoman? We have advertised a Countrywide recruitment exercise from 5th to 9th February 2024. Check out the recruitment date of your sub-county listed below, as you prepare to attend,” read the update.
NYS also gave the dates and recruitment centers where the recruitment will be conducted in different counties.
Ruto on NYS
Also, in November 2023, President Ruto directed that NYS trainees be given priority during the countrywide military and police recruitments.
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Ruto gave the directive while delivering his first State of the Nation Address since assuming office.
“To consolidate this proposition, we have directed that 80% of future recruits to all our national security services will be from among the well-trained, talented and committed young men and women who have undergone training at NYS,” said Ruto.
He further announced that from 2024, recruitment to the service would be doubled to 40,000 in a move aimed at expanding job opportunities for the youth.
CS Kuria went on to welcome the Head of State’s directive, adding that it would also help in saving the cost of training the security forces.
“I’m very happy on the pronouncement, particularly on the NYS which is under my ministry that 80% of anybody hoping to join the security forces has to come through the NYS. We are ready to train,” said the CS.
