Winnie Wanjiru: From Being Rejected by Kenyan Military to Joining the US Air Force
Winnie Wanjiru grew up dreaming of becoming a military officer, an ambition triggered by showground visits with her dad where they watched soldiers performing.
While studying at the University of Nairobi, she applied several times to join the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) in an attempt to fulfill her childhood dream.
Sadly, none of her applications was accepted and she recalls being asked to pay a bribe of Sh200,000 to secure a place in the army.
“I remember at one point I got someone who was really connected to the government and was demanding for Sh200K. Mark you, at that point in time I only had like Sh1,000 with me for pocket money,” Wanjiru told Tuko in a recent interview.
Her dream of joining the military appeared to have been shattered completely until she won a US Green Card in 2015.
Wanjiru had her application to the US Air Force accepted about a year after she won the Green Card and has now served in the military for over four years. She has risen through the ranks and is currently working as Staff Sergeant at the pilot training base.
The mother of one is married to Denise Adipo, who she describes as a pillar in her career.
“Doing life with him has been the most enjoyable journey. I don’t struggle at all with juggling between work and family responsibilities because he helps a lot,” she added.
Comments (13)
Congrats Winnie its nice when one sees their dream come true.
@Dada Wanjru: Please expose the person/people who wanted you to pay a bribe before being admitted to the Kenya Defense Forces.
SOLUTION:
In order to cremate the notion of bribing someone in order to advance one's career goals, anyone who has demanded and received a bribe must be exposed publicly. This is one way of the ways that we can reclaim our land and make it a paradise again.
M.K.A.P.A.
Make
Kenya
A
Paradise
Again.
Sometime you have to let go and enjoy the blessings ahead of you ..just do the right thing
To the young folk. Vacate that country at the first opportunity. Don’t waste tour youth listening to those reptiles in leadership who have sent our country to the sewer... starting with that poser ‘kimmo’ . Out here you utilize your time and I can attest years down the line life is great. Visit Kenya and of course invest some of your foreign currency there
I meant ‘Jommo’ not kimmo
@Wanjiru - Have you thought about transitioning from the enlisted ranks to become a commissioned officer!?
Have your degree from Nairobi University been evaluated to an American degree? Did you get impact US citizenship upon enlisting in the Air Force in 2015, so that you can easily transition!
You will be very glad it down the line!
Is this not the story of hundreds of thousands of us? Rejected by our motherland, accepted unconditionally by the great United States! Congratulations Shiro!
Long live the US!
I hope one day Kenya will wake up
Congratulations Ms. Wanjiru, You mentioned that you attended University of Nairobi. If you're a graduate from University of Nairobi, please make sure you give them all your certificates, you should be an officer and not enlisted. If you need help on how to do that, mwakilishi has my email address, you can reach out to me and I'll try help you out.
Just tell us the truth that u had that 2000$ u could have bribed??Hizi story’s mingi niza unjinga.wait until ur sent to war n u loose yr limbs or die then yr mother or husband ataletewa the flag n u will b forgotten like that??🤣🤣wakenya wakifika majuu huongea unjinga sana about their country.If Ur so happy that USA have treated u nice.Make it your home permanently,but yr grave there don’t even think of retiring back home at one time!Yrs kenya kunachalleges za corruption but it’s still the best country out there in long ran.Otherwise as others r saying kogratulations
Wow, what a piece of stupid ass? Your reasoning is mafi type for real! You owe this lady an apology! You ain’t a man or woman enough! Wewe mafi ya Kuku!
Your congratulations are not welcome! Dead brain lunatic!! Your life must be ver miserable to utter such nasty words! All the reason for me to believe you come from a fatherless environment! Otherwise, you should know better; wewe kuma.
Mkenya Halisi you are a perfect witch and you need to change before the change changes you .
CONGRATULATIONS...
But we have to understand, lazima tuongeze chumvi hata kama ni kidogo.