Youths with tattoos were rejected during NYS recruiting in Thika

On Tuesday, individuals with tattoos were denied entry to the National Youth Service (NYS) recruitment exercise, despite meeting other qualification criteria. The disqualification was based on tattoos located on their backs and shoulders. The disappointed youths, many of whom acquired tattoos in high school, expressed regret, with one mentioning that he didn’t anticipate the impact it would have on his future.

One of the affected youths, attending the NYS recruitment in Thika, shared his experience: “I live in Thika, and I’m here for the NYS recruitment, but it did not go as expected because I have a tattoo which has disqualified me. I had the tattoo while I was in high school, at that time it was not a big deal, but now I see why my parents were against it.”

The NYS recruitment, aiming to enlist at least 15,000 recruits, commenced nationwide on Monday, February 5, 2024. Public Service CS Moses Kuria acknowledged a few reported anomalies on the first day but assured Kenyans that he would address them appropriately.

“On the first day of the National Youth Service recruitment exercise that I am monitoring very closely, I’m delighted to report that the exercise kicked off on the right footing in different parts of the country. Few anomalies were reported, and I can assure all Kenyans that I will address them amicably,” Kuria stated. He had previously emphasized his commitment to ensuring fairness in the recruitment process, especially for the children of the less privileged in the country.