Heat on Kenya military over woman’s exit
A military recruitment exercise in Molo town. Ms Tarus, 20, from Baringo, was dismissed on grounds she is ‘pregnant’, even after the initial test results proved she was not. Photo/FILE
Human rights activists have threatened to move to court in five days if Ms Gladys Tarus is not re-admitted to the Recruit Training School (RTS).
“If Ms Tarus would not have been reinstated to the military training school by the end of five working days from today, we shall move to court to seek orders for her reinstatement,” said Mr Ken Wafula of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.
Ms Tarus, 20, from Baringo, was dismissed on grounds she is ‘pregnant’, even after the initial test results proved she was not.
On Wednesday last week, she told a press conference in Eldoret how she was short-changed at the last minute. “I was called aside by a military official who said I had failed the pregnancy test,” the girl said.
Ms Tarus said that after consultation with top military officials, she went to Uasin Gishu District Hospital for another pregnancy test, which turned out to be negative.
She presented a confirmation letter from the hospital to the military officers but was still turned away.
Addressing a press conference in Eldoret on Sunday, the human rights officials alleged that Ms Tarus’ position that had been given service number 109524, was sold to somebody else for Sh300,000.
“We can confirm that Ms Tarus’ position was sold to somebody else for Sh300,000 and his daughter joined the camp two days after the official reporting date,” said Mr Wafula who read the joint press statement.
Mr Wafula said the woman’s future has been dealt a blow given that she comes from a poor family and that her fare to the RTS was raised through her local church in Baringo.
Ms Elizabeth Wambui, a human rights official, said bribery and corrupt practices had tainted the image of the military and compromised the institution’s integrity.
