On Tuesday, December 11, President William Ruto officiated over a police pass-out ceremony at Kiganjo College.
This is Ruto’s first pass-out parade as President of the Republic of Kenya, which he presided over when he was sworn in.
After nine months of training at several National Police Service training institutions, more over 5,000 police graduates were commissioned.
Kenyans were drawn to a photograph of a short and presumably young boy that circulated online of police officers in their passing-out uniforms.
The young man, dressed in full police pass-out uniform stood at attention holding a gun reaching his waistline.
I have seen very short men graduating from Kiganjo today. Seems things changed and height is no longer a requirement. Do they still count teeth?
Or rather we can say connections ni muhimu.
Where will this boy discharge his duties? pic.twitter.com/oqcpUnJOgy— Kipronoh Munishi (@KipronohMunishi) January 10, 2023
A section of Kenyans who trooped to the comments section claimed that the police officer was a former street urchin who was admitted to a rehabilitation centre and later enlisted into the police after he fully recovered.
“Here is the boy. He was a street boy. Akapelekwa rehab. Na akasema anataka kuwa mwanapolisi. His wish was granted,” Digital content creator Shaviya Moses said on Facebook.
Kiganjo Police College is a real transformer….. From a kienyeji to a cop pic.twitter.com/NTXJqhtj7I
— Thika Town Today – 3T (@ThikaTowntoday) January 10, 2023
Others questioned how he qualified to join the National Police Service yet he seemed short and of tender age.
“I remember going for that police recruitment, naambiwa ati mimi ni mfupi na mwenye ananiambia tunatoshana height, hii kenya hii,” Molly Rutoh complained.
An optimistic, Lawrence Ngugi asked Kenyans not to look at his size but his willingness to serve the country.
“Don’t look at the size look at his will and heart congratulations Afande, serve the people of Kenya with high integrity and compassion..as we say the only easy day was yesterday God bless,” Ngugi said.
Harrison Etemesi disclosed how the boy grew up with a lot of hardships in an informal settlement in Nakuru.
“Broo this boy is from Nakuru ,amepitia magumu ya maisha ,Mungu wacha aitwe Mungu. Nakuru gheto tuna habari zake,” Etemesi said.