Inked Dreams Shattered: Thika NYS Bars Youth with Tattoos
On Tuesday, young individuals in Thika conveyed their disappointment after being excluded from eligibility for the National Youth Service due to the presence of tattoos or body art.
The younger individuals claimed that their failure to meet the requirements for the recruitment process was solely attributed to their tattoos.
“I was unable to continue with the recruitment exercise as I was disqualified over having a tattoo. I had the tattoo done in high school and back then I didn’t view it as a big deal, stated one of the aspiring recruits.
He expressed remorse for not listening to his parent’s guidance and admitted that the repercussions of his choices were now catching up with him.
Addressing reporters, the young man also requested assistance from anyone possessing the expertise to eliminate tattoos in assisting him with the removal of his body art.

“Now I’m learning what our parents stated back then was true, I am appealing to anyone who can help me remove it,” stated the distraught youth.
Nevertheless, in addition to being disqualified due to body art, certain town inhabitants also mentioned facing difficulties related to discrepancies in the locations mentioned in their identification documents.
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A leader of the youth in Thika additionally advised parents to supervise their children during the national identification registration process to prevent costly mistakes.
The recruitment event initially planned for February 5 and February 6 in Thika East and Thika West was conducted at Thika Stadium.
Nevertheless, local leaders expressed disappointment over the limited participation in the recruitment process, even though the densely populated town had more than 100 slots available.
“Thika had 107 slots but the turnout was not very pleasing. Most of those who turned up were disqualified for among other things having tattoos on their hands, chests among other parts of the body, discrepancies in their national identification cards, and low academic grades,” noted a youth leader.
Since Monday, New York State (NYS) has been initiating volunteer recruitment efforts in response to the announcement of available positions.
Inked Dreams Shattered: Thika NYS Bars Youth with Tattoos