Youth undergo a fitness drill during the recruitment exercise in Wakiso District yesterday. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU

At least 1,800 youth yesterday turned up for recruitment into the army on the first day of the exercise that will take two weeks. The exercise started yesterday in Wakiso, Kisoro, Kabale, Yumbe and Arua districts.
According to military officials, the army wants 3,000 recruits and 300 cadet officers. In Kabale and Kisoro districts, more than 900 youth turned up for the exercise at Kabale Stadium. But the army only wants 75 recruits and cadets from the two districts.
The Operations and Training Officer of the Mbarara-based UPDF 2nd Division, Col. Godfrey Golooba, said they want 580 recruits and 58 cadets from western region which has over 10 districts.
Creating jobs

The 2nd Division spokesman, Capt. Robert Kamara, said the objective of the recruitment is to create jobs for the educated youth. “At the end of the recruitment exercise, about 600 youth shall get employment. This is one of the reasons why we are carrying out this exercise,” he said.
The spokesman of the recruitment in greater Kampala, Capt. Tabaro Kiconco, said 560 youth turned up at Wakiso District playground. The number is expected to rise to 1,000 by Friday when the exercise ends. However, only 320 positions for both recruits and cadets are available.
The Commander of the Reserve Forces in greater Kampala, Col. Eric Mukasa, who is heading the recruitment exercise, attributed the big turn up to unemployment among the youth. “They see this as a job opportunity. But we shall choose those we want. We are taking only those between 18 and 25 years old,” he said.
Some of those who turned up were eliminated because of forged academic papers, age and failing medical tests. Col. Mukasa said engineers, doctors and lawyers have an advantage over other professionals. “As UPDF, we are lacking in some areas and that’s why we may allow doctors and engineers who are 30 years to join as cadets,” he said.
Capt. Tabaro Kiconco, said the exercise will be conducted at Kololo Airstrip in Kampala on August 6 to 8. Kampala has the highest number of vacancies-15 cadets and 150 recruits. Capt. Tabaro said the district and regional quotas are allocated depending on the number of people in the area.
“We divide the number of people in the country by the number of people in the district and multiply by the required number of recruits,” he said. In Arua District, 320 turned up but only 51 are needed. The exercise involves screening for HIV/Aids, hepatitis, sickle cells and sense of hearing, sight, touch, mental and physical fitness.
Reported by Risdel Kasasira, Felix Warom& Robert Muhereza