The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has announced a 2026 recruitment exercise covering General Service Officer cadets, graduate officers, specialist officers, general duty recruits and tradesmen and women.

All applications must be submitted by 12 December 2026; candidates for GSO cadet, specialist officer and trades positions are required to apply online via the official portal at https://recruit.mod.go.ke.

Shortlisted applicants for the online‑submitted categories will be announced between 21 and 25 December 2026 on the Ministry of Defence website and in print media.

General duty recruitment will be conducted in person at designated centres across Kenya from 14 to 28 December 2026, with candidates advised to check the official advertisement for specific venues.

Eligibility requires Kenyan citizenship, a valid national ID, no criminal record and compliance with age, academic, medical and physical‑fitness standards.

For regular GSO cadet posts, applicants must be 18‑23 years old, hold a minimum KCSE mean of B (Plain) with at least C+ in English, Mathematics and one science, and will undergo three years of training leading to a BSc in Defence and Security Studies.

Graduate GSO cadet candidates need to be 18‑26 years old, meet the same KCSE thresholds and possess a recognised bachelor's degree; their training period is 15 months.

Specialist officer vacancies include legal, medical and chaplaincy roles; legal applicants must be admitted advocates with a practising certificate, while medical posts require relevant qualifications and age limits of 30 years for officers and 35 years for consultants.

General duty recruits must be 18‑26 years old with at least a KCSE mean of D (Plain); those who have completed National Youth Service training receive added preference.

Tradesmen and women are required to hold relevant diplomas or certificates, have a minimum KCSE grade (C‑ for diploma, D+ for certificate) and at least two years of practical experience in their trade.

Physical standards stipulate minimum heights of 1.60 m for males and 1.52 m for females, minimum weights of 54.55 kg and 50 kg respectively, and a BMI between 18.5 and 30, with additional medical fitness requirements.

The Ministry of Defence warned applicants of fraud attempts, emphasizing that biometric verification is the sole identification method and that no calling letters will be issued during the recruitment process.