Army turns away more than 300 applicants
Youth who turned for the recruitment exercise in Iganga District on Monday. Photo by Yazid Yolisigira
What you need to know:
Force says those rejected lacked requisite academic qualifications and had health complications
More than 300 youth from the districts of Namutumba, Bugiri, Mayuge and Iganga have failed to make the grade for recruitment into the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
The youth had on Monday turned up at the Iganga District headquarters where a recruitment exercise is ongoing.
According to advertisements that the army had earlier published in the print media, recruits were required to have a Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) certificate or slip of not later than year 2012, be aged between 18 and 25 years and without criminal records or ailments.
The recruitment exercise’s public relations officer, Lt Arthur Tibaganya, said lack of requisite academic qualifications and health-related issues were responsible for the army’s decision to turn them away.
He said 75 of the rejects had medical complications, including hernia, skin diseases, body deformities and other complications. The rest had forged or highly questionable academic qualifications.
In a related development, a section of the political leadership has raised concern about the number of slots that have been allocated to the four districts.
The chairman of Nambaale Sub-county, Mr Lazurus Magezi, said the 130 slots allocated to the four districts is insufficient. He called for an increment in the number of slots.
However, Lt Tibaganya said the number of slots had been allocated in accordance with an earlier established plan. He advised the leaders to raise the issue with the relevant authorities so that it is taken into consideration when plans for future recruitment are being drawn up.
