BY JOACKIM KULE
Hundreds of professionals and non-professionals from Kasese District today morning physically appeared at the Resident District Commissioner’s Office to be recruited in the Uganda People’s Defense Forces-(UPDF).
Maj. Stephen Tumwesigye, the Public Information Officer of the Mountain Division and Operation Shuja told the press that they shortlisted 290 people who had applied to be recruited in the army using an online service.
Maj. Tumwesigye explained that among the people who appeared for the exercise, 99 were professionals in ICT, Law, Music, Teachers of Science Subjects, Engineers and Healthcare Workers while the remaining 191 were regular recruits with a qualification of at least Senior Four.
Maj. Tumwesigye stressed that the UPDF was intending to take only 182 persons from the highlighted numbers, according to the slots that they allocated Kasese District.
Asked why the UPDF carries out recruitments nearly after a period of two years, Maj. Tumwesigye explained that the force does so in order to fill the manpower gaps created by retiring officers, deaths and dismissals so that they are reinforced by young and energetic people.
He put it categorically clear that those that they would confirm for training would be given less than three days to have transported themselves to the training centers that they would communicate to them.
By press time at midday, Maj. Tumwesigye indicated that they had disqualified 20 people on medical grounds where many of them had scars on their bodies.
The Busongora County South Member of Parliament, Hon. David Mulindwa Isimbwa, who had escorted some applicants from the constituency, observed the need for the UPDF to increase the slots given to Kasese District following its size and population for the benefit of the unemployed youth.
ENDS