Rowdy youths force repeat of recruitment of prison officers in Mandera
Prison wardens try to calm irate youths who disrupted a recruitment exercise in Mandera Town on Wednesday May 6, 2015, claiming there were irregularities. The recruitment had to be repeated in the afternoon under the watch of County Commissioner Alex ole Nkoyo and AP officers. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The recruitment of Kenya Prisons Service warders in Mandera Town was Wednesday repeated after rowdy youths disrupted an earlier exercise in the morning.
The youths turned rowdy forcing the suspension of the intake of constables claiming the recruitment was marred by irregularities.
Trouble begun after several youths were disqualified on grounds that they had bowed legs.
“We can’t accept this and we are aware of those who have paid for the jobs,” said Abdikadir Billow Hassan.
He claimed some senior prison officers had turned up at the recruitment centre with the intention of having their preferred candidates considered.
“Why are we having only Somali prison officers here when there are non-Somali officers at the Mandera GK Prison competent enough to carry out this exercise?” posed Hassan.
Shaban Abdulle Mohamed, another candidate, said after failing in the past Kenya Police Service and Kenya Wildlife Service recruitments, his hopes of being recruited into the prisons department had diminished, claiming that one “had to pay” to be recruited.
“People have been paying up to Sh60,000 to join prisons while those who qualify are kicked out," claimed Mohamed.
Mandera County Commissioner Alex ole Nkoyo speaks to candidates who turned up for the Kenya Prisons Service recruitment. He oversaw a repeat after an earlier disruption by rowdy youths. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
DENIED CORRUPTION CLAIMS
Speaking after the resumption of the exercise in the afternoon, Mr Jocktan Jillo, the officer in-charge of the Mandera GK Prison and the recruiting officer, denied claims that there was corruption.
“We had a problem in the morning and this was because all our serving officers were at the recruiting ground (thus) complicating the exercise but we have asked them to go back and all is well now,” said Mr Jillo.
He said only eight slots were reserved for Mandera East which had to be filled by six men and two women.
The number of the candidates, he said, was too high but most failed to reach the required qualifications.
“We are looking for a D+ and above and one should be aged between 18 and 26 but most have failed. When we started vetting them they claimed we had been bribed,” said Mr Jillo.
Mandera County Commissioner Alex ole Nkoyo attended the second round of recruitment as an observer.
“I have only come as an observer and it is good if these youths adhere to the rules of the exercise whereby one will only be recruited if he or she has the required qualifications,” said Mr Nkoyo.
Administration Police officers, under the leadership of Mandera East AP Commander Charles Mutuma, were forced to provide security and keep the crowd at bay.
