Nairobi County Members of Parliament (MPs) are threatening to table a no-confidence motion against Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya over next month’s planned military recruitment drive.

According to the lawmakers, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, the process is biased against city residents since only three recruitment centres have been designated in Nairobi.

They argue this opens the door for outsiders to infiltrate the exercise, effectively sidelining Nairobi youth.

The MPs say they had already raised the matter in a letter to CS Tuya but received no response, warning that they may block the nationwide recruitment if their concerns are ignored.

“What we are saying to the CS is we are going to censure her. We wrote to her, she has not responded and we want her to tell us what is this discrimination against Nairobi,” an MP said.

“If this does not change we will stop the recruitment of KDF officers in the entire country unless Nairobi is treated in the same manner as the other 46 counties.”

In a statement dated September 16, eighteen Nairobi MPs raised objections over the upcoming military recruitment, arguing that it violates constitutional principles of fairness and non-discrimination.

The letter, submitted by Embakasi West MP and National Assembly Minority Whip Mark Mwenje and endorsed by 17 colleagues, accused the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) of sidelining Nairobi by allocating too few recruitment centres despite the county’s huge population.

Under the current schedule, Nyayo Stadium will serve recruits from Embakasi (East, West, North, South), Kamukunji, Makadara, and Starehe.

On the other hand, the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani will handle Kasarani, Ruaraka, Mathare, and Roysambu; while Jamhuri Grounds will cater to Dagoretti (North, South), Lang’ata, Kibra, and Westlands.

The MPs argue that consolidating so many constituencies into just three centres will create logistical chaos, unlike in other counties where each sub-county has its own centre.

KDF unveiled its 2025 nationwide recruitment plan on September 15, targeting skilled professionals and officers including General Service Officer (GSO) cadets—both regular and graduate—along with Specialist Officers, General Duty Recruits, Tradesmen and Women, and Defence Forces Constables.

The military urged interested applicants to submit their applications via the official KDF recruitment website before the October 12 deadline, adding that successful candidates will be notified through print media between October 21 and October 24.