MBALE – A graduate of Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) Mbale main campus collapsed and died on Tuesday, December 31, during a UPDF recruitment exercise.
Wakooli Ali, a BA. Human Resource Management graduate of the 2019 class, who died after successfully completing the first UPDF recruitment exercise at Maluku ground in Mbale.
Rehema Kantono, the IUIU Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident.
“On behalf of the Islamic University in Uganda, and on my own behalf I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Wakooli Ali. The entire University Community is saddened by the news of your loss and it is grieving with you,” she said.
“The sports department has lost a referee, the Human Resource management class lost a course coordinator, but most all you have lost a son. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and give you strength during this trying moment.
My sincere condolences, Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un,” she added.
The incident came four days after a
man who Friday turned up to join the UPDF at Arua Police ground collapsed and died during a road run.
According to Maj Ceaser Olwenyi, the 4th Division Public Information Officer, Michael Saidia from Ofaka in Madi Okollo District, collapsed and died after a group of candidates had been flagged off for a road run.
“The road run was one of the examinations for recruitment but we told the candidates that the exercise was not a competition and they should not run to die,” he said. “We gave clear instructions about that and we flagged off the candidates for a two and half kilometre run but the deceased who was found epileptic collapsed and died some minutes later.”
He said: “After the collapsing, our doctors tried to rescue him by putting him on a drip. We thought he was going to be okay within no minute as we were looking for ways of getting an ambulance. Within a short period, he passed on which is very unfortunate.”
The nationwide army recruitment exercise runs until January 5, 2020 before successful candidates start training in different military training schools around the country.
