A 22-year-old Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) student collapsed and died during a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment exercise on Wednesday in Kabuchai, Bungoma.
The deceased, identified as Eugine Wamalwa, was among hundreds of hopefuls who turned up at the Busakala grounds on Tuesday morning for the rigorous selection drills. Witnesses said he suddenly fell while undergoing a physical endurance test.
Efforts by KDF medical officers to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was rushed to Chwele Sub-County Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
According to locals, Wamalwa was a disciplined and ambitious young man who had long dreamed of joining the military. His untimely death has left his family, friends, and community members in deep grief.
“We are devastated. He was full of life and determined to serve his country. It’s hard to believe he’s gone,” a relative told reporters.
The recruitment exercise was temporarily halted as security and medical teams handled the incident. Authorities have said a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death, though initial reports point to possible exhaustion or cardiac complications.
The tragedy comes barely days after a similar incident in Kirinyaga County, where another young man lost his life during KDF physical drills, sparking calls for improved medical preparedness and safety measures during the demanding recruitment process.
Wamalwa’s body was later transferred to the Bungoma County Referral Hospital mortuary as the family prepares for burial arrangements.
