KDF announces December recruitment, sets December 12 application deadline

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has announced a nationwide recruitment drive for December 2026, offering opportunities for Kenyans to join the military as officer cadets, specialist officers, general duty recruits, and tradesmen and women. The recruitment targets include university graduates, candidates with secondary and technical qualifications, and those with relevant professional and technical skills.

Applications for General Service Officer (GSO) cadets, specialist officers, and tradesmen and women must be submitted online through the Ministry of Defence recruitment portal by December 12, 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be notified between December 21 and 25, 2026.

KDF has warned against bribery or using intermediaries to secure recruitment slots, emphasizing that the process is free and any form of corruption will result in arrest and prosecution. Applicants must report any recruitment malpractice to the nearest police station, military camp, or through a dedicated hotline.

The biometric verification will be the sole method of identification during recruitment and training, with no calling letters issued during the recruitment process or upon acceptance. Applicants must meet specific age, educational, physical, and medical requirements, such as being Kenyan citizens with valid national identity cards, possessing original identification, academic, and KRA PIN documents, and meeting height, weight, and body mass index criteria.

Training durations for successful candidates vary from three years for regular officer cadets to 15 months for graduate cadets. Specialist officer positions in chaplaincy, legal services, and medical fields require specific qualifications, while general duty recruits need a KCSE mean grade of D plain. Tradesmen and women positions are available for diploma and certificate holders in various technical and professional fields.