KAMPALA–In a bid to beef up national security and supplement the foreign deployments, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) will recruit regular soldiers and professionals this month.
The recruitment exercise that will commence on October 17 and end on October 29, will see another 3,000 more soldiers recruited into the force.
The UPDF spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, said applicants have to be between 18-25 years, single with a national ID and should possess S.4 or S.6 certificates and a medical examination report.
“Every applicant should also possess official letters from LC1, LC3, and GISOs duly signed from their area of origin,” said Brig Karemire.
Karemire in the statement released on Saturday said:
“We shall recruit those wishing to join as regular soldiers and professionals in order to enhance personnel for the different capabilities developed. But this time we shall not be taking cadet officers this year.”
He explained that the recruitment exercise will be based on Section 52 of the UPDF Act 2005 which lays down the mandatory requirements for those who wish to join the army.
These include being a citizen of Uganda, of good character, at least 18 to 25 years for militants and for professionals 18 to 30 years, and medically fit.
“During the recruitment exercise, a person shall not be discriminated against on the ground of sex, ethnic origin, religion etc. This is in line with Article 21 of the 1995 Constitution of the republic of Uganda and we encourage females to participate for affirmative action,” Brig Karemire said.
According to a statement from UPDF, the recruitment will cover 116 districts; each allocated a quota calculated according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics published population census results of 2014.
Brig Karemire said the recently established districts of Namisindwa, Pakwach, Butebo, Rukiga, Kyotera and Bunyangabu will be handled under the mother districts they were created from.
He explained that a detailed programme for recruitment has been developed and that the exercise will start with Wakiso at Wakiso district headquarters on October 16 before spreading to other districts and end up in Mbale on October 28.
