Of 495, 299 applicants to UPDF pass tests for disability, STDs

The two-day exercise targeted 495 recruits from the districts of Amolatar, Alebtong, Otuke, Dokolo, and Lira. However, only 299 applicants passed the test.

In order to fulfill the requirements of the enrolment, the applicants were subjected to written and physical exercises, including a rigourous five-kilometre run alongside medical tests for high blood pressure, Hepatitis B, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like syphilis and gonorrhea.

Those found to be positive for the said diseases were automatically disqualified.

Steven Mugerwa, the recruitment team leader in Lira, reveals that the general turn-up was high, However, he relates that most candidates, especially females, were disqualified after they tested positive for different illnesses, mostly STDs.

Only 44 female applicants passed the test at the close of the exercise.

To compound matters, some candidates were disqualified because they had fake academic documents, physical disabilities and were of advanced age.

Mugerwa is, however, concerned that despite the inauthentic disqualifications, fewer females are generally showing interest in joining the UPDF.

That said, several female candidates claimed that the process was not fair because they were disqualified before their documents were even checked.

There were other roadblocks towards recruitment.

Kizito Edola, a resident of Dokolo, reportedly arrived late at the recruitment venue and Peter Odongo, a resident of Lira district, was disqualified because of a mismatch in his date of birth on his National Identity Card and academic documents.

All in all, successful candidates were transported to Kaweweta Recruit Training School, in Nakaseke District.