County Hall witnessed a moment of laughter sparked by hilarious remarks from the panel as Environment CS nominee Aden Duale was being vetted by the Committee on Appointments.
It started with Duale explaining that he never used to pick up calls from MPs during his stint as Defence CS because he feared they were calling to ask that he reserve KDF recruitment slots for their constituents, something he considered to be corruption.
Teso South MP Mary Emase interjected and said she wasn’t calling to ask for favours but to seek clarification on whether a recruit can be dismissed for having uneven testicles.
“Hon Speaker I was calling the Hon CS to seek clarification with respect to the concerns that were raised by my constituents that those who were successful and had reported to the training camp were being chased away over flimsy reasons,” she said.
“One of my constituents was told that his testicles are not equal that is why he is being dismissed from the training camp so I was seeking clarification from the CS to tell me the guidelines,” she added as the room burst into laughter.
“Honestly, I was very sad indeed and my constituent lost that slot because I couldn’t get the CS to clarify,” a visibly agitated Emase added.
Duale, who couldn’t hold his laughter all the while, removed his glasses, wiped his face with his palm before he composed himself to respond.
“We hear you,” committee chair Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said.
Emase went on: “In fact, I had to ask a chairman of a committee to call the CS on my behalf because I thought because I’m a small person he can’t pick mine.”
More laughter hit the atmosphere when Suna East MP Junet Mohammed concurred with Emase saying the issue has been rampant “But the only thing I’m wondering with is if the CS of Defence by then could do measurements of testicles. That’s what I don’t know”.
When he spoke, Duale said the Teso South recruit was dismissed fairly.
“Mr Speaker let me make it very clear that the ground given for the rejection of that recruit from Teso South is valid. Next year if such a person comes he will not be recruited into the Kenya Defence Forces,” he said.
The former CS said the KDF has a very stringent recruitment threshold different from the police.
“When people go and are recruited at the subcounties, very serious medical checks take place. Several people are sent away because of medical ailments,” Duale added.
Wetang’ula interjected: “Are unequal testicles ailments?” More laughter followed.
Duale said there are many grounds on which a recruit can be dismissed from the training camp and unequal testicles are among the grounds “and if it was in camera Mr Speaker, I would even tell you more”.
He said the Teso South recruit was not an isolated case.
“Mr Speaker there are many colleagues, there many leaders who sent me [text messages] their person has been chased. In 10 minutes, the leadership of KDF could give many reasons, measurement included,” Duale said.
“The training of the Kenya Defence Forces is so rigorous that you don’t take somebody who will go and die in the course of training. Duale dismissed claims by Emase that the slots left vacant by those who get dismissed on “flimsy” medical grounds are replaced by those with money. Those who leave, they are not replaced and I think let’s not discuss the Kenya Defence Forces in a very negative [way].”
Tharaka MP George Murugara said the KDF needs to consider changing its policy on recruitment and do away with requirements that no longer serve any purpose.
“I think the whole code needs to be revised so that we do not have human rights abuses, and they are not even abuses, they are excuses that the army is using to bar some Kenyans from joining the force,” he said.
Murugara said, for instance, it’s inconsequential to insist that recruits must be of a certain height or have all teeth.