Trans Mara Family Questions KDF Training After Three Recruit Deaths

A 19-year-old Kenya Defence Forces recruit, Victor Sang, has died while undergoing training at the Recruits Training School in Kamagut, Eldoret.

The military reported that Sang was among three recruits who developed medical complications during an endurance exercise. Officials said medical staff provided immediate assistance before the recruits were taken to Eldoret Regional Hospital. Sang’s family, however, has questioned the explanation, with his uncle, Isaac Lang’at Koros, stating they were told he fainted during a drill and later died from dehydration, despite being healthy when he joined.

Relatives were permitted to view Sang’s body at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital but only partially, a restriction that has left them unsettled. “Our visit to the mortuary was very brief. Although we were allowed to view the body, it was only the upper part,” Mr Koros said, adding that the circumstances remain unclear.

The Kenya Defence Forces have pledged to cover medical and burial costs. A post-mortem examination is scheduled for 9 February, with the burial planned the following day at the family’s home in Kiribwet village, Emurua Dikirr, Trans Mara Sub-county. Sang’s father, Stephen Sang, has called on the Ministry of Defence to support all families affected by the deaths, while acknowledging the loss of his son.

The incident has renewed concern over the conditions of military training. In 2025, about 10,000 recruits were enlisted, though reports of corruption and malpractice during recruitment, where roughly 1,500 candidates were turned away, had already raised questions about oversight.