Kenya’s Chief of the Defence Forces Julius Karangi has cast doubts on intellectuals joining the military.
Karangi says people with good grades do not make good soldiers.
Karangi said most people who score grade B and are enlisted in the army continue to pursue their studies instead of concentrating on military duties.
He said the military opts to recruit people with lower grades who can dedicate their lives to military work.
“Instead of enlisting candidates who will start seeking time off to go to the university, we opt to recruit those with minimum grades,†he said on his Facebook page.
The Kenya Defence Forces recruits soldiers with varying education levels depending on the category. General service officers, specialist officers, and special duty officers, are required to hold a minimum KCSE grade of B plain.
However, those wishing to join KDF as service members, commonly called recruits, need grade D and above, upon fulfilling other requirements.