Season after season, 27 year old Idris Kiprop has arrived at police recruitment grounds in Baringo fully prepared and hopeful. For eight straight attempts, he has carried the same ambition to join the service and build the career he has dreamed about since 2018. Each time, he has faced the same response. The answer has been no, and the reason has always been height.
On Monday, November 17, 2025, he returned to the Baringo Central recruitment site with determination, but the outcome was no different from previous years. After going through the initial checks, Idris was once again ruled out on grounds he has heard many times before. He walked back home visibly disappointed, carrying the weight of nearly a decade of setbacks.
His journey has been long and exhausting. For eight years, Idris has shown up with consistency, often encouraged by seeing his peers secure positions while he continued to fall short because of one requirement. As he put it, “Kutoka 2018 nimejaribu…for 8 good years sijawai pata, wenzangu wamekuwa wakipata.”
This year’s recruitment brought another emotional moment. Standing among dozens of other hopefuls, Idris questioned why height alone should disqualify him when he believes capability should matter more. He voiced his frustration openly, saying, “Ni watu wangapi wafupi kama mimi na wako kazi? Kama ni hivyo basi futeni wale wote wako katika idara ya polisi na ni wafupi.”
Why does the height requirement still lock out candidates?
With only one year left before hitting the upper age limit, the pressure has intensified for Idris. His commitment has gone beyond showing up. He completed the National Youth Service program, hoping that paramilitary training would strengthen his chances. “Niko trained nimefanya NYS paramilitary training,” he said.
Despite this, the officers ruled him out again. The repeated rejection stirred emotions, leading him to confront the recruiting team. “Toa viatu…kila wakati wanasema mimi ni mfupi ata mimi nataka hiyo kazi,” he said. His experience has been the same across multiple agencies. “Nimejaribu KDF nikaambiwa mimi ni mfupi…nimejaribu KWS, Kenya Forest na naambiwa kitu the same tu,” said Kiprop.
What do recruitment officials say about exceptions?
Moses Kirong, the officer overseeing recruitment in Baringo Central, explained that the process follows national standards without exception. He noted that only twelve candidates were expected to be selected, making the competition even tighter and leaving no room to bend regulations.
For Idris, the setback is painful because height is something he cannot change. After eight years of trying, the challenge now lies in accepting another missed chance while still holding onto the dream that has pushed him forward season after season.
By Lucky Anyanje