NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 2 – The stringent medical standards for aspiring recruits seeking to join the military came under scrutiny during the vetting of former Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale by the National Assembly Committee on Appointments, following reports that testicle size is a significant factor.
Duale, who was being assessed for his qualifications to lead the Climate Change and Environment docket, faced questions regarding the grounds on which recruits were dismissed from training camps during his tenure.
Teso South legislator Mary Emase sought answers from Duale on the recruitment guidelines, citing an example of one of her constituents who was expelled from training camp due to having unequal testicle size, despite successfully passing the initial recruitment phase at the county level.
“I called The Honourable CS Duale to seek clarification on concerns raised by my constituents. Those who were successful and had reported to the training camp were being chased away over flimsy reasons,” Emase said, noting that the ex-Defence CS had not responded to her call at the time.
“I can quote one of my constituents who was told that his testicles are not equal, which is why he was dismissed. I wanted to seek clarification from the CS on what the guidelines for recruitment are.”
In response, Duale defended the dismissals, asserting that they were justified under the current recruitment guidelines specific to the KDF.
“The grounds given for the rejection of that recruit from Teso South are valid. Next year, if such a person comes, he will not be recruited to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF),” he said.
Duale explained that KDF recruits undergo rigorous medical assessments post-county selection, and health-related reasons, including uneven testicle size, could result in dismissal from training.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula also weighed in, recounting a similar case from his constituency and sought clarification on whether such physical variations constituted medical ailments.
“There are many reasons; the testicles are one of them. I don’t want to go into details. The chairman of Defence will agree,” Duale responded.
Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda expressed concern over the relevance of scrutinizing testicle size in military recruitment, questioning its necessity compared to physical impairments directly affecting operational performance.
“I couldn’t understand maybe someone has squinted eyes because of shooting and you know flat foot maybe because of running. I’m really wondering what work the testicles would really have to do with joining the disciplined forces,” Lesuuda said, urging the government to take such issues seriously.
These sentiments were echoed by Suna East legislator Junet Mohamed, who criticized the practice of measuring testicle sizes as part of the recruitment process.
The debate around the dismissal of recruits for what some members termed ‘flimsy’ reasons also sparked discussions on alleged corruption in recruitment during Duale’s tenure at the Defence docket.
The committee raised concerns that such dismissals may have paved the way for wealthy individuals to secure positions within the KDF at the expense of the poor.
Tharaka Nithi Constituency MP George Murugara called for a review of outdated recruitment criteria, citing historical precedents like the requirement for specific dental conditions or height, which no longer reflect modern military needs.
“Let the army hear this, it’s very important. We know the historical background of the set pieces given in army recruitment, including teeth. It was there to bite bullets at a certain point in time in history. Today, they do not bite bullets,” Murugara said.
“We required tall people so that they would see enemies from a distance. Today, you don’t have to do that because if that was the case, the Chinese and the Japanese would have a challenge. Eventually, such things became disqualified.”
Murugara termed the disqualification of recruits based on teeth, testicle size, and height as “excuses” to prevent other Kenyans from joining the KDF at the expense of the wealthy.
“I think that whole code needs to be revised so that we do not have human rights abuses. But they are not even abuses; they are excuses that the Army is using to bar some Kenyans from joining the forces so that other people can get the slots. Surely, the army must open up on this,” Murugara said.
Looking forward, Duale proposed parliamentary engagement with the Military Health Department to enhance transparency and public awareness of recruitment criteria, aiming to prevent future controversies.