Turnout for LDU recruitment overwhelms army
Training. Some of the people who turned up for LDU recruitment being taken through drills at Old Kampala SS yesterday. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
Turn-up. Kampala had a turn up of 4,000 but only 252 passed the recruitment exercise
The UPDF team recruiting personnel for Local Defence Unit (LDU) is overwhelmed by the number of the people reporting for the exercise.
The two-week recruitment, which started on Monday, has so far seen 7,770 young people turn up for the exercise but only 1,400 have been selected.
The UPDF Land Forces spokesperson, Lt Col Henry Obbo, told Daily Monitor that the biggest turn up was in Kampala with 4,000 but only 252 have been chosen.
Recruitment
At least 3,000 LDUs are expected to be recruited from Kampala Metropolitan area that includes Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono while another 3,500 will be picked from other districts in the central region.
“We have so far covered only two centres in Kampala Metropolitan. That’s Wankulukuku in Lubaga Division and Old Kampala Secondary School for Kampala Central,” he said.
At least 3,000 showed up at Old Kampala Senior Secondary School but only 96 passed the screening exercise while another 156 were picked from the 1,000 who turned up at Wankulukuku on Monday. The recruitment is ongoing in these areas.
Lt Col Obbo said the other recruits came from Lamwo, Lyantonde, Kyotera, Kotido and Kabongo districts. “The number of recruits depends on a quota system based on the population density in each area,” he said.
The shadow minister for Internal Affairs, Mr Muwanga Kivumbi, said the overwhelming numbers are caused by high unemployment rate in the country.
“This tells you that there is a deep-seated crisis of unemployment in this country,” he said.
Last week, the army announced it would recruit more 13,000 LDUs across the country on top of the 6,500 who were recruited and deployed in Kampala Metropolitan in May.
The recruitment of the LDUs is part of President Museveni’s national security plan to fight crime, especially unresolved murders that have gripped the country.
In June 2018, the President announced the deployment of 24,000 LDUs after Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga and former Buyende District police officer Muhammad Kirumira were killed by unknown assailants.
Lt Col Obbo said the recruits have to pass medical and physical screening.
He added that at least 3,000 LDUs will be recruited from Karamoja, Sebei, Greater Bukedi and greater Bugisu.
The North of Kyoga and East of River Aswa under the UPDF’s 5th Division will raise 1,500, and 2,000 will be recruited from parts Acholi and West Nile under the 4th Division.
