Man dies during UPDF recruitment in Tororo
People seeking to join the Ugandan army are seen undergoing preliminary medical tests in Tororo Distrcit on July 12, 2024. PHOTO/JOSEPH OMOLLO
What you need to know:
- Authorities said the man collapsed after running over 4kilometres, which was part of recruitment procedure.
One shortlisted applicant died on Friday during the ongoing recruitment exercise by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) in Tororo District, authorities have said.
The incident happened after 22-year-old Abdallah Bija collapsed at Tororo Police playground where pre-recruitment drills were being conducted, specifically for slots of Butalejja District and the Busoga region.
Authorities said the man collapsed after running over 4kilometres, which was part of recruitment procedure.
"It's unfortunate that one of the promising candidates collapsed and shortly died at Tororo District General Referral Hospital, where he had been rushed for treatment,” Tororo Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Albert Amula said in a brief statement.
Amula told journalists that Bija’s body was still at the Tororo District General Referral Hospital pending postmortem.
“The outcome of the postmortem will reveal what exactly could have caused his death. However, during the flag off which I participated in, the deceased looked healthy,” he added.
He told this publication that the deceased could have succumbed to heart failure.
Head of the Tororo recruitment team, Col Saadi Katemba, was hesitant to comment but described the incident as “unfortunate.”
On July 9, UPDF recruit Levi Okwir collapsed during a physical fitness test exercise in Dokolo District due to suspected hunger.
According to UPDF, his collapse also occurred after he had covered a 4kilometre race.
Elsewhere, over 500 Ugandans failed preliminary tests required to be recruited in the military.
