Starting 2021 with a high, Kenyan born Winnie Wanjiru fulfilled her dream to be a military pilot. However, during an interview, Winnie disclosed how she missed an opportunity to fly the Kenyan jets – By Gerald Gekara.
Winnie’s Ambition to fly, was triggered by the Kenyan Defence Forces, when her dad took her to public holidays to watch the military drills.
When she finally became of age, Winnie narrated how her hopes to join the military was squashed when she was asked to pay a bribe of Sh200,000 to be enrolled in the military.
“Imagine, at one point I got someone who alleged he was really connected to the government and he demanded for Sh200K. Mark you, at that point in time I only had like Sh1,000 with me for pocket money,” Wanjiru recalled.
However, a United States Green Card application in 2015 sealed the deal for Winnie when she was selected to live and work in the states.
Hardly a year later, Winnie recalls being selected to join the US Air Force.
She has since waded through thick and thin considering she is a woman, to her position which she currently serves as a Staff Sergeant at the pilot training base.
With the current KDF recruitment enrolling more men than women, Winnie urges more women to take up careers, not based on their difficulty, but to achieve their dreams.
Speaking as he launched the exercise at the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi, the VCDF said the nationwide recruitment drive shall take place in all 327 gazetted sub-counties across the 47 counties in the next two weeks.
“The KDF recruitment exercise is necessitated by the need to address shortfalls and increasing demand for specialized skills consistent with the technological advancement within the Force. Additionally, it is warranted by a steady increase in the number of KDF establishments, national requirements and natural attribution,” said Lt Gen Mghalu.
