High temperatures have affected the ongoing Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) recruitment exercise in Malindi and Magarini.
Several recruits were forced to be disqualified during the running session as some collapsed while others got affected by the high humidity.
In Malindi, one of the candidates nearly collapsed at after completing the race while another begun shouting and turned violent forcing the KDF officers to tie him with ropes after struggling with him for some time.
One of the recruits was heard saying loudly ‘katika jina la Yesu’ (in the name of Jesus), then he cried loudly attracting the attention of members of the public.
Several officers had to get hold of him and tied him as they tried to help him regain consciousness.Lt. Col Willy K. Langat the senior recruiting officer in charge of Kilifi County said the turnout was good in both Malindi and Magarini.
Speaking at the Alaskan grounds in Malindi town during the exercise he said more than 300 boys turned up for the recruitment in Magarini on Monday.
He said they did not have a slot for girls in Magarini but would recruit five girls in Malindi.“On running, many were failing due to high temperatures but we managed to get six recruits,’’ he said.
Lt. Col. Langat said the situation of high temperatures was also witnessed in Malindi which also recorded high turnout of more than 400 boys and over 100 girls.
In Malindi, their target was 10 boys and two girls.
The Kilifi county recruiting boss said they had planned well on running as due to the weather conditions.
He said many boys had a challenge of weight as they could not attain the one required by the KDF.
In Kilifi County, he said they are targeting 30 boys and five girls in the exercise which is still going on.
On Wednesday the KDF recruitment will be in Ganze and there will also be no slot for girls.