47 Disqualified as UPDF Recruitment Exercise Starts in Adjumani

What the report says

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces has begun its recruitment drive in Adjumani District, with the physical screening phase taking place at Paridi Stadium in Adjumani Town Council. According to Nile Post, the exercise is part of Recruitment Team Six and covers Adjumani as well as the Acholi and Lango sub-regions.

The report says 119 applicants were shortlisted in Adjumani, including five women. Two did not appear, 70 passed the initial verification stage, and 47 were disqualified. Reasons given for exclusion included failing to produce original academic documents, failing preliminary medical checks, and inconsistencies between dates of birth on national identity cards and school records.

Major Bilal Katamba, the UPDF 4th Infantry Division public information officer and spokesperson for the recruitment team, said applicants had to meet all stated requirements and noted that the process moves from online application to shortlisting and then physical assessment. Those who advanced were taken through a four-kilometre run, light exercises and further medical examination. It was not immediately clear from the report whether Adjumani’s allocation of 64 recruits would be filled from the remaining candidates.

Adjumani Deputy Resident District Commissioner Emmanuel Okware said the disqualifications were unfortunate but urged affected applicants to remain hopeful. Local leaders also raised concern about candidates who had not yet received transcripts from the 2025 UCE examinations, prompting some discussion with UPDF officials. The recruitment exercise is continuing in other districts and is expected to conclude in Lango on August 22, according to the report.