The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) kicked off the national recruitment exercise on Monday, July 1, 2024, in the Karamoja sub-region with local leaders hailing the army for undertaking a new approach of shortlisting candidates and taking into account the required quotas.

Maj. Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd Division public information officer, in a statement released Monday, said all of the shortlisted candidates from Kaabong and Karenga districts turned up physically for an opportunity to join the force.
In his briefing to aspiring candidates, Col James Barigye Rukundo, team seven leader and substantive 3rd Division Operation and Training Officer urged candidates to observe discipline, follow instructions, and exercise patience as they are subjected to the interview process.
He assured the candidates and the district leadership of the systematic and transparent interview stages to get the good soldiers upon completion of training programs.
The team leader emphasised that the UPDF will always strive to maintain its dignity and that no standard would be compromised in due course.
Karenga Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Filbert Ocailap expressed gratitude to the UPDF strategic leadership for undertaking a new approach of shortlisting candidates after official adverts featured and projection on the required quotas which gave a basis for utmost guidance.
He encouraged candidates to put in their best during the process.
The Kaabong district chairperson, Jino Meri, advocated for affirmative action for candidates from the Karamoja sub-region.
The team is scheduled to take two days at the Kaabong recruitment centre and intends to select 22 candidates as per the quota out of the shortlisted 36 for Kaabong district and 12 out of 14 candidates shortlisted for Karenga district.
The team will conduct the same exercise in the Kotido centre to interview candidates from Kotido district on July 3, 2024, and Abim district on July 4, 2024, at the same Kotido centre.
Present were Kaabong RDC Capt. (Rtd) Chris Mike Okirya and local leaders among others.
The Deputy Director Defence Public Information Col Deo Akiiki said recruitment into the UPDF is ongoing across the country.
He noted that the recruitment would take place from July 1, 2024, to July 14, 2024, and urged all those who were interested to check with their recruitment centre and confirm whether they had been shortlisted.